The Croatian President Kolinda Grabar Kitarovic, currently on a visit to the United States, met with the Republican senator Marc Rubio on the 4th of January and discussed ways to strengthen relations between the two countries within NATO.

In addition, Rubio posted a photograph of their meeting on his Twitter account, saying that they ''discussed ways to deepen our ties to a close NATO ally."

On the 31st of December the Croatian President's Office announced that Grabar Kitarovic was leaving for the United States for a visit until the 5th of January, however, no further details of the visit were given.

On the other hand, Croatian media said unofficially that the Croatian president was to meet with several members of the transition team of the new US president Donald Trump and several other people being considered for office in the new US administration.

In order to clarify the whole situation about her visit, on the 5th of January the Croatian president said for Croatian Radio Television (HRT) that ''this visit was aimed at people who are in the US administration, or will be, or are close to the elected president of the United States Donald Trump or to the Republican Party or Democratic Party in any way in order to make them aware of the problems and issues in Croatia and Southeast Europe''.

''The fact is that we are small country and as such we cannot wait for someone to put us on the agenda, but we have to impose ourselves. In other words, to be here'', explained Grabar Kitarovic.