Croatia has signed a €1.5 billion (about $1.8 billion) deal to purchase 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany, marking a major step in the country's shift away from legacy Eastern-made military equipment.
The contract was signed in Berlin by Croatian Defense Minister Ivan Anušić, alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.
EU's new Security Action For Europe (SAFE) program
The purchase is funded in part through the EU's new Security Action For Europe (SAFE) program, which offers low-cost loans to help member states rapidly close capability gaps. Croatia has €1.7 billion available under SAFE, and part of that will cover the Leopard order.
Plenković said the move strengthens Croatia's defense ties with Germany and aligns the Croatian Army with other European operators of the new 2A8 variant, including the Czech Republic, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway.
Deliveries of the tanks are scheduled for 2028-2030. The 2A8, unveiled in November, is the first major overhaul of the Leopard series since the early 1990s.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković:
"Of the 1.7 billion euros approved for Croatia, a part of these funds will be used to finance the procurement of 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks. Croatia is gradually abandoning eastern military technology and moving to Western technology, and the partnership with Germany, through this and other examples, is one of the ways we continuously strengthen cooperation in the field of defense."