Croatia has signed a 1.48-billion-euro agreement with Germany to purchase 44 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks, marking one of the largest defense acquisitions in the country’s history and accelerating Zagreb’s transition away from Yugoslav-era military equipment toward full Western standardization.

The agreement was signed in Berlin in the presence of Croatia’s Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, with Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anušić formalizing the deal. Plenković stated that Croatia is decisively shifting from outdated Eastern-bloc platforms to advanced Western defense technologies, and emphasized the deepening defense partnership between Zagreb and Berlin.

The tank procurement forms part of a broader 2-billion-euro modernization program that includes the acquisition of 18 CAESAR howitzers, 420 Tatra military trucks, and anti-drone systems. Germany provided Croatia with 144.8 million euros in financial compensation after Zagreb transferred 30 M-84A4 Snajper tanks and 30 M-80 armored vehicles to Ukraine in late 2024, effectively reducing the total cost of the Leopard package.

Minister Anušić underscored that the Leopard 2A8 tanks represent a major leap in Croatia’s military modernization. The new fleet will replace the aging M-84 tanks, a Yugoslav adaptation of the Soviet T-72 platform that has been in service since the 1980s.

According to government statements, 1.14 billion euros of the procurement will be financed through the EU’s SAFE program between 2026 and 2030, while the remaining 343.5 million euros will be covered by the national budget through 2033. Deliveries are scheduled between 2028 and 2030 and will include simulators, spare parts, and full logistical support.

The purchase is part of a multinational joint procurement framework led by Germany’s Ministry of Defense and involving Norway, Czechia, Lithuania, and the Netherlands. NATO member Croatia increased its defense budget by 22.2 percent in 2024 and plans an additional 18.2 percent increase in 2025, with long-term spending projected to reach 2.5 percent of GDP by 2027 and 3 percent by 2030.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Croatia has provided approximately 181 million euros in military assistance to Kyiv. The M-84 tanks transferred by Zagreb are reported to be in active operational use by Ukraine’s 141st Mechanized Brigade.

The Leopard 2A8, produced by KNDS, is the latest generation of German main battle tanks, equipped with advanced armor protection and modern digital warfare systems.(ILKHA)