Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said on Friday that Croatian soldiers would definitely be sent to Ukraine if Croatia participated in NATO's new mission for that country, and he reiterated that he was against it because it meant going to war.

The ongoing conflict between Milanovic and the government, which wants to send up to five officers to NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU), has been in focus in recent days. The government claims that the activities will be carried out in Wiesbaden, Germany, while Milanovic says that Croatian soldiers will also go to Ukraine.

“The mission will be present in Ukraine, one hundred percent, and that must be known,” Milanovic told the press.

“NATO will be present in Ukraine and our people will be part of the team that is preparing war operations for Ukraine… that’s entering the war!”, warned the Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces.

However, he added that Croatia was ready to help its allies on the eastern flank of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, pointing out that that was Croatia’s obligation. According to him, the worst thing about planning operations, quantities, resources, etc. is that “we do not have control over it”.

In response to criticism from the government that he did not oppose the mission at the NATO summit in Washington in July, when the decision was made, Milanovic said that immediately after his return, he announced that Croatia would not participate in it and that he did not care which countries would.

Because of his opposition to NSATU, Plenkovic suggested earlier on Friday that Milanovic was in agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“I understand (Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor) Orban. He has a deal with (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. He has cheap gas and cheap oil. I am interested in what deal Milanović has with Putin. There is no Croatian national interest, only great damage,” said Plenkovic.

The president accused the prime minister of “constantly drawing a target on people’s heads”.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban provoked criticism at the beginning of July as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and he did not consult with European partners about it, considering that Hungary holds the presidency of the EU.

Hungary, the only EU member state that has remained close to Moscow despite the war in Ukraine, regularly criticises sanctions against Russia and does not want to send military aid to Kyiv.

NATO’s activities for security and training support for Ukraine were agreed at the summit meeting in Washington in July this year.

The mission will consist of about 700 members from NATO members and partner countries, and the entire operation will be coordinated in Wiesbaden, Germany. It is supposed to coordinate the delivery of weapons to Ukraine and the training of Ukrainian soldiers.