Relationship dossier
Belarus
Croatia
Relationship assessment
Relations strained by Belarusian repression, EU sanctions and Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Belarus toward Croatia
-30As an EU member, Croatia has supported EU sanctions and other measures responding to Belarusian repression and Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Croatia toward Belarus
-30Belarus imposed retaliatory restrictions affecting EU countries, including Croatia, amid disputes with the EU over sanctions and Belarusian policies.
Overall relationship
-30The relationship has a formal diplomatic and economic framework, but its recent character is shaped by political confrontation: Croatia participates in EU measures against Belarus, while Belarus has taken retaliatory steps affecting EU countries. Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine has added to the strain.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Belarus–Croatia relations have become substantially adversarial amid Belarusian repression after the 2020 election, European Union sanctions supported by Croatia, and Belarusian support for Russia’s war against Ukraine. Belarus also imposed retaliatory restrictions affecting EU countries, including Croatia. The scope and implementation of direct bilateral cooperation are less clear.
Areas of tension
- Belarusian repression following the 2020 presidential election and Croatia’s support for EU sanctions.
- Belarus’s support for Russia’s war against Ukraine and Croatia’s alignment with EU measures.
- Belarusian retaliatory restrictions affecting Croatia and other EU countries.
Key developments
Following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election, Croatia supported EU sanctions responding to the authorities’ crackdown and disputed election.
Belarus imposed retaliatory restrictions affecting EU countries, including Croatia, amid disputes with the EU.
Belarus’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine further strained relations with Croatia as an EU member.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and implementation of bilateral economic and other cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of Croatia’s direct bilateral measures, beyond its support for EU policy, is unclear.