Poland president visits Croatia, rules out sending troops to Ukraine, like Croatia
- by croatiaweek
- in News
President Milanović and President Duda in Zagreb on Tuesday (Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, welcomed Polish President Andrzej Duda and First Lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda to Zagreb on Tuesday during an official state visit.
Following a meeting held at the Office of the President, Milanović spoke to the media, highlighting the strong relationship between the two nations, shared values within NATO, and their views on current global issues, especially the war in Ukraine.
“We are loyal to our allies in NATO. That’s a bond of loyalty and fidelity through shared membership in the Alliance,” said Milanović. “Anything beyond that is an uncertain world – especially for a country like Croatia, which we observe from a distance and cannot be too involved in.”
(Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
Both leaders agreed that neither Poland nor Croatia would send troops to Ukraine as part of any hypothetical mission that could turn into a combat operation.
“Poland clearly doesn’t want to take part in that, and neither will Croatia,” Milanović said, adding that such topics should not be treated as taboo, but must be approached carefully.
When asked about ending the war in Ukraine, Milanović acknowledged that neither he nor President Duda were in a position to broker peace.
(Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
“Unfortunately, the resolution will not be fair – that’s unrealistic. We’re returning to a world of realpolitik we haven’t known for 30 years. But it’s the only way to survive,” he stated.
Milanović reiterated that Croatia would continue to participate in NATO activities – but only within NATO member states.
He also stressed the need for Europe to act more independently from the United States.
“Europe has become too dependent on the US in some areas. That needs to change. We need autonomy in foreign policy and more solidarity, wherever possible.”
(Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
He further noted that when discussing defence spending, it’s not only about percentages of GDP but about what can actually be purchased with those funds.
President Milanović expressed his personal satisfaction at hosting President Duda, particularly at the close of Duda’s second term.
“It’s been ten years of a successful and interesting mandate in turbulent times that required capable leadership – and President Duda has shown that,” he said.
(Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
“This wasn’t our first meeting, but it was the first in this format. Our views are well known to one another, and we’ve both expressed them publicly,” Milanović continued.
“We didn’t negotiate – we discussed, exchanged thoughts, and commented on painful and seemingly unsolvable issues in today’s European security. Croatia can’t resolve these alone, and I’m afraid neither can Poland. It will take a great deal of patience and time to sort these things out.”
President Milanović praised Poland as a significant nation with deep-rooted traditions and firm national interests that do not change with passing trends.
“I’m glad that Croats and Poles understand each other well and maintain friendly relations – not just because hundreds of thousands of Poles visit Croatia every year, or because of the growing trade between us,” he added.
(Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia)
“Yes, there’s some imbalance in trade – more in Poland’s favour – but that’s normal. What matters is open dialogue and mutual respect.”
Photos: Office of the President of Republic of Croatia / Dario Andrišek, Marko Beljan, Filip Glas
