We all agree that defence spending should be increased, said Minister Anušić.
“I reiterated today that Croatia is prepared to assume a leading role in the production of small drones,” said Minister Anušić following the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Brussels
Ivan Anušić, Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, attended the NATO defence ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Thursday, 5 June 2025.
The meeting of defence ministers, chaired by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, was held in preparation for the upcoming NATO summit to be held on 24 and 25 June 2025 in The Hague, Netherlands.
Increasing defence expenditure, maintaining aid to Ukraine, bolstering the domestic defence industry, and setting new capabilities objectives for NATO members were the meeting’s primary topics.
In addition to continuing to invest in modernisation, equipment, and new capability targets for NATO members, the summit underscored the necessity of a substantial increase in defence expenditures.
“We all almost unanimously agreed that 3.5% is what we need to achieve by 2032, plus 1.5% that will be directed towards investments related to defence and security,” Minister Anušić said following the meeting, highlighting that the United States, a key ally and NATO member, indicated that Europe needs to start organising and funding its own defence more strongly going forward because the United States is putting its attention and focus on the Indo-Pacific.
We need to strengthen our capacities and defence capabilities
“This is only a refocusing of attention, not a departure in the sense of abandonment, of course. In light of this, as well as the geopolitical shifts that have emerged over the last three and a half years, we must strengthen our capacities and improve our defence capabilities. There appears to be no end in sight to Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. For this reason, we need to be ready for all that tomorrow may bring,” he stated.
The minister emphasised cybersecurity, IT cyberattack defence systems, radar systems, medium-range air defence systems, howitzers, and other weapons and equipment that the Ministry of Defence has previously made public and that are either in the procurement process or have already been acquired as Croatia’s top priorities in the context of the nation’s defence capabilities development.
“Drones and unmanned aerial vehicles will be our main focus in the future. I reiterated today that Croatia is prepared to assume a leading role in the production of small FPV drones both within the European Union and, we may add, within NATO.” Following the meeting, Minister Anušić stated, “Croatia could produce these combat drones in significant quantities, meeting the needs of NATO members and the European Union.”
Cross-Border Airspace Letter of Intent
A letter of intent on cross-border airspace (Cross Border Airspace LOI) was signed as part of the meeting. It was signed by the defence ministers of Croatia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands and Slovenia.
NATO-Ukraine Council Meeting
Along with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, Minister Anušić also took part in an informal NATO-Ukraine Council meeting in the ministerial format as part of the ministerial meeting in Brussels. Minister Umerov gave an update on the state of affairs on the battlefield and the search for a fair and sustainable peace. Continued assistance for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression was stressed throughout the meeting.
