National interests, as a key concept of international relations, include the political, security, economic, cultural and other interests of each country. With state sovereignty, the political interests of the state embody most of its national interests, with national and energy security being paramount of all national interests. The essence of national interests is reflected in one's basic understanding of the point of national interests, its importance, effectiveness, values and the way to achieve those values. As an integral part of strategic thinking, the foundation of national interests, once adopted, will have a major impact on the creation and implementation of national strategies. From a cognitive point of view, the concept of national interests is deeply influenced by the way of thinking, cultural traditions, values, ideologies and other characteristics. Different nations, states, and social classes have different approaches to national interests in different historical times. Energy security and the availability of energy in sufficient quantities and at affordable prices is a complex issue. The perspective of energy security depends on the position in the energy supply chain. The Republic of Croatia has quality geopolitical preconditions for both regional and European positioning and can use its geographical position by improving its own energy security and turning it into an important energy hub. The paper primarily discusses national interests in terms of energy independence and security. The areas covered in this paper concern public goods and the protection of national interests; energy as a public good and national interests; energy policy in the EU; and finally, the draft integrated national energy and climate plan of the Croatia.