Croatia’s president attacks France over fighter jet sales to Serbia

Croatian President Zoran Milanović has sharply criticised France for selling Croatia used Rafale fighter jets while providing Serbia with brand-new aircraft, calling the move damaging to Croatia’s national interests.

According to foreign media reports, Milanović said Croatia “looks like fools” after France sold fresh-from-the-factory Rafales to Serbia, while Zagreb received secondhand jets. Croatia completed a €999 million government-to-government deal with France in 2021 to purchase 12 Rafales from French air force stocks, with final delivery in April 2024 to replace its ageing MiG-21 fleet.

Serbia, which fought Croatia during the Yugoslav wars and remains outside NATO, signed a separate contract in August 2024 with Dassault Aviation for 12 new Rafales. Belgrade reportedly paid €2.7 billion for the purchase, with deliveries expected from 2028. Serbia’s closeness to Moscow continues to concern Croatia, despite improved bilateral relations.

Milanović denounced the French-Serbian agreement as a deal struck “behind Croatia’s back,” arguing the Croatian government failed to verify whether Paris intended to sell more advanced jets to a non-NATO neighbour. He added that the case demonstrated that “every country takes care of its own interests, including profits.”

French Europe Deputy Minister Benjamin Haddad defended the decision, stating Croatia should welcome Serbia’s “gradual move away from dependence on Russia.” During a visit to Zagreb, Haddad emphasised that defence cooperation with Croatia remains strong.

Reactions among Croatian officials remain divided. One diplomat agreed with Milanović that France should not have sold newer jets to Serbia immediately after transferring older ones to Croatia. Another argued Zagreb received a favourable deal, noting Croatia signed a letter of intent in December to upgrade its Rafales to the latest F4 standard. French defence officials said the upgrade plan reflects Paris’s commitment to modernising Croatia’s fleet.

Croatia’s defence ministry dismissed Milanović’s criticism, saying it reflected a misunderstanding of global arms trade norms. The ministry stressed that major powers routinely sell similar weapon systems to states with tense or even adversarial relations, citing U.S. sales to Israel and Egypt, Russian sales to India and Pakistan, and Western arms transfers to both Greece and Türkiye.

The dispute also reflects long-standing political tensions between Milanović and Prime Minister Andrej Plenković. While the president serves as commander-in-chief, the government manages the defence budget and daily military affairs.

France continues to expand defence cooperation with Croatia. During a December visit to Paris, Plenković signed contracts with KNDS France for 18 Caesar howitzers and 15 Serval armoured vehicles, financed through the EU’s SAFE loans-for-weapons program. France has also positioned itself as a supplier as Croatia transitions from Soviet-era to Western military systems.

Meanwhile, Serbia remains heavily armed by Russia and China, with French equipment forming only a small part of its arsenal.

By Tamilla Hasanova