Following the Czech Republic’s parliamentary election, Andrej Babis, the leader of the right-wing ANO party, has reaffirmed his campaign promise to stop using state funds to supply arms to Ukraine. This stance follows his party’s victory in the election, setting the stage for Babis to potentially return as prime minister. Babis has reiterated his commitment to this policy during ongoing coalition talks, emphasizing that the Czech budget will not allocate resources for weapon shipments to Kiev.
Despite his opposition to direct military aid, Babis has clarified that private Czech arms companies may continue to export weapons to Ukraine. This allows for continued arms sales to Ukraine while avoiding direct state funding. The Czech Republic has previously supported Ukraine through a multinational munitions initiative, with Germany contributing financially. Babis now seeks for NATO to assume responsibility for this initiative, signaling a potential shift in Czech support for Ukraine’s war effort.
With coalition talks underway, Babis is expected to form a government with support from two right-wing parties: Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) and the Motorists’ Party. ANO currently holds 80 of the 200 seats in the lower house of parliament. With support from the two smaller parties, a prospective coalition would command a majority of 108. President Petr Pavel has announced that the newly elected parliament will convene for its first session on November 3.