Croatia is negotiating with Sweden and the United States on the purchase of fighters for the modernization of its air force, the country’s Defense Minister Damir Krsticevic told reporters.

Zagreb was close to striking a deal on acquiring a squadron of used and refitted F-16 fighter jets from Israel, but eventually Israel informed Croatia it could not sell the planes as it could not secure an approval from the US, Reuters reported. 

“The government is still determined to solve (this) strategic issue. We are in talks with Sweden and the United States and we will timely inform the public once we will have some concrete information,” Krsticevic said

Croatia joined NATO in 2009, and the EU in 2013.It has Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jets, but they are outdated, and currently only a few of them are operating.