"This Incident is Closely Related to US Political Issues"
Troops Previously Deployed to Poland Have Already Returned Home
[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Croatia, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Eastern Europe, has sparked controversy by refusing to deploy troops to NATO in the event of a war between Russia and Ukraine. Concerns are also rising that NATO forces may find it difficult to operate under a unified strategy amid the imminent additional deployment of U.S. troops to Eastern Europe.
On the 25th (local time), Croatian President Zoran Milanovi? stated in a press briefing, "Croatia will not deploy any troops in the event of an emergency between Russia and Ukraine, and all troops currently deployed to NATO will be withdrawn," adding, "As the commander-in-chief of the national military, we declare that we have no connection with NATO's plans to increase troop numbers or dispatch reconnaissance ships."
President Milanovi? pointed out that "this situation is more closely related to U.S. political issues than a bilateral matter between Russia and Ukraine," noting that the shift from the Trump administration's pro-Russia policy to the Biden administration's hardline stance on Russia has led to the Ukraine crisis.
He continued, "To resolve this crisis, a compromise that seriously considers Russia's security concerns is necessary," emphasizing, "Just as Finland, Austria, and Sweden maintain neutrality by not joining NATO, Ukraine should also not join NATO."
Meanwhile, the Croatian government has already withdrawn Croatian troops that were deployed to Poland. According to the U.S. political media outlet Politico, Croatian soldiers who were part of NATO forces deployed in Poland returned to their home country the day before, and there are no plans to dispatch new units this year.
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