Macron and Plenković Deepen French‑Croatian Defence Ties

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The news in Croatian

1. posjetiti
   doći nekome ili negdje na kraće vrijeme ↩︎
2. obrana  (f.)
   zaštita od napada ili opasnosti ↩︎
3. oružje  (n.)
   predmeti koji se koriste za napad ili obranu, npr. puške, pištolji ↩︎
4. gospodarstvo  (n.)
   sustav proizvodnje, trgovine i usluga u jednoj državi ↩︎
5. sigurnost  (f.)
   stanje bez opasnosti, kada je netko ili nešto zaštićeno ↩︎
6. širenje  (n.)
   postupak kada nešto postaje veće ili zauzima više prostora ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Which Croatian leader visited President Emmanuel Macron in Paris?

Question 2: Name two areas (besides defence) where Croatia and France agreed to work together.

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
posjetiti	to visit
obrana  (f.)	defence
oružje  (n.)	weapon
gospodarstvo  (n.)	economy
sigurnost  (f.)	security
širenje  (n.)	expansion

Read the full story

French President Emmanuel Macron and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković have used a meeting in Paris to confirm a significant deepening of French‑Croatian defence and political cooperation. Both leaders presented Croatia as a “European Union success story” and highlighted their common positions on the war in Ukraine and the future enlargement of the EU.

After talks at the Elysée Palace, President Macron described defence cooperation as one of the main pillars of relations between France and Croatia. He recalled Croatia’s 2021 decision to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets from France, which he said opened the door to much closer strategic links between the two countries.

Those links have now been extended with a new defence contract. Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anušić and his French counterpart signed an agreement for the purchase of 18 CAESAR 6×6 Mk II self‑propelled howitzers and around 90 accompanying vehicles. The package, worth just over €328 million, will be financed through an EU instrument known as SAFE. Croatia also signed a letter of intent to upgrade its Rafale aircraft from the F3‑R standard to additional capabilities under the F4 standard.

Alongside the military deals, the two governments adopted a detailed French‑Croatian Strategic Partnership Action Plan. Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Minister Gordan Grlić Radman signed the document, which covers cooperation in areas such as security and defence, the fight against organised crime and illegal migration, cybersecurity, promotion of foreign direct investment, and the development of sustainable and smart cities. It also addresses topics relevant for members of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) and strengthens economic links.

Economic ties were highlighted at a business forum in Paris, attended by about 40 Croatian companies. Well‑known Croatian firms from sectors such as energy, technology, transport and defence – including Končar, Infobip, Rimac Technology, Ericsson Nikola Tesla, DOK‑ING and others – met French partners to explore new cooperation, trade and investment opportunities.

In public statements and in a post on Facebook, Prime Minister Plenković called the purchase of the CAESAR howitzers a “major step” for Croatia’s armed forces and argued that investment in defence has become a priority for Europe. Speaking at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI), he said that Europe is at a “historic turning point” and can no longer take institutional, energy or demographic stability for granted.

Plenković also stressed Croatia’s growing role in the European defence industry. He stated that Croatia is now among the leading countries in the production of FPV (first‑person‑view) drones and is closely cooperating with the Netherlands and Latvia in a so‑called “drone coalition”. According to the Croatian side, domestic companies hold a very large share of the global market for remotely controlled demining machines, underlining the country’s niche expertise in specialised defence technologies.

On foreign policy, Macron and Plenković presented a united front on Ukraine. Both leaders said that, as allies in the EU and NATO, France and Croatia support a “just and lasting peace” that would defend Ukraine’s sovereignty and respect international law. They emphasised that any peace settlement should avoid rewarding the aggressor and insisted that borders cannot be changed by force. Plenković added that Ukraine must receive lasting security guarantees and that Europe should play a central role in any peace framework.

In his IFRI lecture, the Croatian prime minister also commented on the evolving geopolitical environment and shifts in United States security strategy. He interpreted references in a recent American document as a sign of a deep change in Washington’s view of its global role, although different observers may draw their own conclusions about what this means for transatlantic relations and European security.

The two leaders devoted considerable attention to the future of the European Union. Macron said that France backs the EU perspective of Western Balkan countries, describing enlargement as both a strategic choice and an essential condition for the continent’s stability. He underlined Croatia’s key role due to its detailed knowledge of the region and its direct experience of EU accession.

Plenković reiterated that Croatia is a strong supporter of EU enlargement, especially regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which he called a friendly and neighbouring state where Croats are one of three constituent peoples. The topic will feature at an upcoming European Council summit, where member states are expected to discuss both institutional reforms and the conditions under which new countries might join.

Looking ahead, the Croatian leader said he welcomed continued dialogue with France in a wider regional and European framework. He pointed to Croatia’s participation in the Three Seas Initiative and its upcoming presidency of the EUMED9 group of Mediterranean EU member states as additional platforms for coordination on energy, infrastructure, security and migration.

During his visit, Plenković also took part in several symbolic events in Paris. He laid a wreath at a memorial plaque honouring Croatian regiments that served in Napoleon’s Grande Armée, underlining historical links between the two countries. Later, he and his wife attended a formal dinner hosted by President Macron and the First Lady, which French and Croatian media presented as a sign of the close bilateral relationship.

Croatian and French reporting on the visit largely focused on the military contracts, the Action Plan and the leaders’ joint stance on Ukraine and EU enlargement. Supporters of the agreements see them as evidence of Croatia’s deeper integration into European defence structures and of France’s growing influence in the region. At the same time, the scale of new military spending and the broader geopolitical implications may be the subject of further public and expert debate in both countries as implementation of the agreements moves forward.

Info: ‘Croatian Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Croatian’, a language school dedicated to teaching Croatian through a range of online courses, where each Croatian language course focuses on helping learners build practical skills and confidence.