After the death of Emperor Basil II in 1025, Krešimir stopped paying tribute to the empire. Around 1027, he collaborated with Stephen I of Hungary against Venice in an attempt to regain the cities of Dalmatia. The Hungarian king previously took his nephew Peter Urseolo, who was forced to flee from the republic when his father was deposed in a 1026 revolt. It is also assumed by one chronicle that Krešimir took part in the 1030 war against the Holy Roman Emperor Conrad on the Hungarian side, though this is not corroborated in any other source. Stephen I also might have betrothed his son, Emeric, to one of Krešimir's daughters, however records show that the preparations were cancelled due to Emeric's sudden death.