War Opens Deep Divide in Croatian Leadership Over Future of NATO
- Croatian president draws ire of premier over NATO comment
- President said only ‘traitors’ would back alliance expansion
Photographer: Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP/Getty Images
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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has laid bare a deep rift among leaders in NATO member state Croatia, offering a glimpse into how the war has upended the political calculus across Europe and undermined unity within the military alliance.
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic said earlier this week that no lawmaker in Croatia should approve the accession of Finland and Sweden into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization before the West helps his kin in Bosnia-Herzegovina or faces being branded “a traitor.” His role is a largely ceremonial, though he commands the former Yugoslav republic’s armed forces.