
Minister Anušić meets Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Photo:MOD/ F. Klen
Minister Anušić meets Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Simon Thomas
The United Kingdom is one of our most important defence allies in Europe Cooperation between Croatia and the UK has been developed in all three services of the armed forces
On Monday, December 18, 2023 Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ivan Anušić met with Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Simon Thomas at the Croatian Ministry of Defence.
The meeting participants reaffirmed excellent cooperation and relations between the two countries in the field of defence. The United Kingdom is one of Croatia’s strategic allies in the field of defence. Cooperation between Croatia and the UK has been developed in all three services of the armed forces, for example the Sava Star exercise, the cooperation with a naval infantry company, meetings of air force aerobatic display teams, cooperation in the field of education and training as well as participation in missions and operations.
“The United Kingdom is one of our most important defence allies in Europe. We actively cooperate with the UK in many areas. I would like to emphasise the importance of cooperation between our countries within NATO, and I believe that this cooperation will continue to develop, both within NATO and bilaterally,” Minister Anušić said.
Ambassador Thomas also expressed his satisfaction with cooperation in the field of defence, pointing out that the United Kingdom is open to the possibility of expanding cooperation in new areas.
Minister Anušić and Ambassador Thomas also discussed the importance of providing further assistance to Ukraine, which is resisting Russian aggression. At the same time, Ambassador Thomas thanked the Republic of Croatia for its strong support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and for all the assistance that Croatia had provided to that country so far.
Minister Anušić and Ambassador Thomas exchanged their views on the security and political situation in Southeast Europe, which is mutually characterized as a region where both Croatia and the United Kingdom want to see political commitment to Euro-Atlantic values. In the end, the meeting participants reaffirmed the mutual commitment to focus on this year’s NATO summit in Washington. Croatia and the United Kingdom argue for making decisions that will further strengthen NATO as the basis of security in the future.
The meeting was attended by Chief of the CAF General Staff Admiral Robert Hranj and Defence Attaché of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of Croatia Colonel Andrew Higgs.