"Croatia cannot significantly influence the war in Ukraine, nor can it stop it," Milanovic said on Tuesday, emphasising that with responsible state policies, Croatia can prevent the conflict from spreading to its borders and maintain peace and security for its citizens, Xinhua news agency reported.

He added: "I refused to consent to the participation of the Croatian Armed Forces in the support mission to Ukraine. As long as I am President, I will not allow our soldiers to be involved in such activities, as it does not align with Croatia's national interest and could endanger our people."

Previously, Milanovic opposed training Ukrainian soldiers in Croatia, citing legal concerns.

Moreover, Milanovic has said that the United States and NATO were engaged in a proxy war against Russia through Ukraine, and slammed the Western sanctions on Russia as absurd and useless.