Croatia purchases German-made Leopards after donating tanks to Ukraine

Croatia signed a €1.48 billion deal to purchase 44 Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany on Tuesday, in one of the Adriatic country's largest defence acquisitions as it continues to shift away from Yugoslav-era equipment.

Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anušić signed the agreement in Berlin in the presence of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the Croatian defence ministry said.

"Croatia is gradually abandoning eastern military technology and moving to Western technology, and the partnership with Germany is one of the ways we continuously strengthen cooperation in the field of defence," Plenković said.

The deal is part of a broader €2 billion modernisation programme that includes 18 CAESAR howitzers, 420 Tatra trucks and anti-drone equipment.

Berlin compensated Zagreb with €144.8 million for 30 M-84A4 Snajper tanks and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles that Croatia transferred to Germany in late 2024, which were then donated to Ukraine, reducing the overall cost of the Leopard purchase.

"We are equipping the Croatian army with the most modern Leopard 2A8 tanks and thus continuing the process of modernising the armed forces," Anušić said.

The tanks will replace Croatia's ageing M-84, a Yugoslav modification of the Soviet T-72 platform first fielded in the 1980s.

Partly funded by the EU

Croatia will finance €1.14 billion of the purchase under the European Union's SAFE instrument between 2026 and 2030, with the remaining €343.5 million covered by the national budget through 2033.

Deliveries are scheduled between 2028 and 2030, with the package including simulators, spare parts, and full logistical support, according to specialised defence outlets.

The purchase forms part of a joint procurement programme led by Germany's defence ministry that also includes Norway, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and the Netherlands.

Croatia, also a NATO member country, has increased its defence budget by 22.2% in 2024 over 2023, with a further 18.2% rise in 2025, according to its defence ministry reports.

The country of some 3.8 million aims to exceed 2% of GDP in defence spending by 2027, reaching 2.5% by 2027 and 3% by 2030.

Zagreb has provided around €181 million in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion in early 2022, including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles transferred in late 2024, along with small arms, ammunition, M-46 field guns and protective equipment.

The Croatian M-84 tanks are currently in combat with Ukraine's 141st Mechanised Brigade, according to reports.

The Leopard 2A8, manufactured by KNDS, represents the latest generation of the German main battle tank and features enhanced armour and advanced digital systems.