Berlin, December 10, 2025 – Croatia has officially committed to purchasing 44 of Germany’s most advanced Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks in a €1.3 billion agreement signed Wednesday during Prime Minister Andrej Plenković’s working visit to Berlin.
The signing ceremony took place in the Federal Chancellery, where Croatian Defence Minister Ivan Anušić and his German counterpart put pen to paper on the Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister Plenković.
Speaking immediately afterward, Chancellor Merz thanked Croatia for the decision and described the deal as a powerful symbol of alliance solidarity.
“I sincerely thank you for this trust,” Merz said. “This strengthens our armed forces as NATO allies and integrates them seamlessly and efficiently through our systems. This has never been more important than today. It shows we stand together in the EU and in NATO. But it also shows we have the means to respond to current threats from Russia and others to our security and our integrity.”
Prime Minister Plenković highlighted the strategic and technological significance of the acquisition for Croatia’s armed forces.
“This is an important step when it comes to technology transfer in Croatia, to the transition to Western technology, where we can continue to strengthen cooperation in the area of defence and security – for example with DOK-ING company and others,” Plenković said. He added that the purchase fits into Croatia’s broader military modernisation programme and its active participation in new EU defence initiatives.
The Leopard 2A8 is widely regarded as the most capable main battle tank currently in production. It features the Israeli Trophy active protection system, advanced digital fire control, improved armour, and a 120 mm L55A1 gun capable of firing the latest programmable ammunition. The package for Croatia also includes simulators, recovery vehicles, spare parts, and a comprehensive ten-year logistics and training support programme.
The deal is built on a “ring exchange” model that began in 2024. Croatia donated 30 M-84 tanks (Yugoslav-built T-72 derivatives) and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, along with spare parts and ammunition. Germany compensated Croatia with €144.8 million, which has been deducted from the total cost of the Leopard contract, effectively lowering the net price for Zagreb.
Deliveries of the first Leopard 2A8 tanks are scheduled to begin in 2028, with the full fleet expected to reach operational capability by 2030. The new tanks will completely replace Croatia’s remaining Soviet-era armour and form the backbone of the Croatian Army’s 1st Mechanised Brigade.
The Leopard purchase is the centrepiece of a €1.945 billion defence modernisation package approved by the Croatian parliament earlier this year – the largest single military investment in the country’s history. Additional elements include 18 French Caesar self-propelled howitzers, hundreds of Czech heavy trucks, and a nationwide counter-drone defence system.
Seventy-five percent of the funding comes from the European Union’s Security Assistance Facility for Europe (SAFE) at favourable interest rates, reflecting Brussels’ push to strengthen the defence capabilities of member states on NATO’s eastern and southeastern flanks.
Croatian officials have emphasised that the modernisation programme not only enhances national security but also creates hundreds of high-skilled jobs through industrial offsets. German manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann has committed to local production and maintenance partnerships, including potential cooperation with Croatian robotics specialist DOK-ING.
The agreement comes as European nations accelerate rearmament in response to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and heightened security concerns in the Western Balkans. Croatia, which joined NATO in 2009 and the Eurozone in 2023, has consistently met the Alliance’s 2 % of GDP defence spending target and is now positioning itself as one of the most proactive contributors to collective deterrence on Europe’s southeastern flank.
For Germany, the sale reinforces its role as Europe’s leading supplier of heavy armour manufacturer and helps sustain production lines at a time when Berlin itself is acquiring hundreds of Leopard 2A8s for the Bundeswehr.
As the two leaders concluded their joint appearance, both stressed that the deal is about far more than tanks: it is a concrete expression of shared responsibility for European peace and security in an increasingly uncertain continent.
