Croatia will supply Ukraine with 30 battle tanks and 30 Cold War-era infantry fighting vehicles, with support from Germany, according to an agreement signed in Berlin on Monday.
“The first one will be handed over to Ukraine this year,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said after signing the agreement with his Croatian counterpart Ivan Anušić.
The agreement includes spare parts and ammunition. The armor comes from Yugoslavian production, but is in good condition, according to Zagreb.
Germany will provide financial support to its NATO partner in the purchase of the latest German-made Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks.
While the conservative government of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is willing to support Ukraine with weapons, left-wing President Zoran Milanović is strongly opposed to military aid to Ukraine.
As formal Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces, he has attempted to prevent Croatian officers from participating in the newly formed NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU).
Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion since 2022 and is heavily dependent on military support from its partners.
