Zagreb - Military strength remains an essential deterrent, but it is not sufficient on its own, Croatian Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Monday while addressing the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul.
The Sabor Speaker was quoted as saying that Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine had permanently changed Europe’s security landscape, while hybrid threats and emerging technologies were increasingly shaping how societies function.
He said national resilience now depends equally on technological and economic development, the protection of critical infrastructure and political cohesion.
Weakness in one region can affect the security of all allies, he added, stressing the need to consider this when investing in the protection of citizens, infrastructure, supply chains and democratic institutions.
Jandroković called for NATO to adapt to new security challenges and for greater unity among member states, saying this unity must be reflected in increased responsibility, commitment and stronger defence capabilities.
He said that boosting European defence capacities must go hand in hand with reliable transatlantic cooperation, and reiterated Croatia’s commitment to a fair division of responsibilities within the Alliance, noting a threefold increase in defence spending over the past decade.
He described support for Ukraine as an investment in the long-term security of the Euro-Atlantic area and in Ukraine’s interoperability with NATO standards.
Jandroković also said NATO should incorporate lessons from the war in Ukraine into future defence planning, particularly regarding unmanned systems and protection against long-range strikes.
The NATO Parliamentary Summit was organised by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Following its conclusion, parliamentary speakers are due to visit the defence company Baykar at the Bayraktar National Technology Centre.