President Zoran Milanovic is attending a virtual emergency meeting of NATO heads of state or government on Friday, convened following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and ahead of the meeting he said that Croatia, as an EU and NATO member, would act within its obligations, Milanovic's office said.

He also said that “our role is to be loyal to our allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation and to do everything that is possible right now from the humanitarian, human and diplomatic aspect.”

“We should also be aware that we are a Western country, a Western culture and civilisation, and that’s why we are in NATO,” said Milanovic.

Earlier, Milanovic strongly condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and met with the heads of the Croatian army and intelligence services.