In a video released on social media on Saturday, new Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) said the European Commission must find other ways to finance Ukraine than those already proposed, and the Czech Republic will not guarantee anything.
Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026 and 2027 are to be discussed at the EU summit, which begins on Thursday. The Commission has proposed two options for the negotiations, the first being a loan from the European Union (EU), and the second a reparations loan secured by frozen Russian assets.
Babis said he agreed with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who he met in Brussels on Thursday.
“The European Commission must find other ways to finance Ukraine,” he said. “We do not have money for other countries, and the European Union must resolve this in another way, but we will not guarantee anything for them, nor will we give them money.”
Outgoing Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky (ODS) said he considers a loan financed by cash proceeds from frozen assets of the Russian central bank to be the only realistic option.
“Ukraine’s needs are urgent, and negotiations within the EU must not become an excuse for delaying the aid that Ukraine desperately needs,” he said in a statement to CTK.
Other politicians from the outgoing ruling parties described the statement by Babis as a “disgrace” and a dangerous shift in Czech foreign policy.
“Unfortunately, the statement by Prime Minister-designate Babis confirms the shift in Czech foreign policy away from promoting and defending traditional values and principles in international relations towards cowardice, selfishness, and irresponsibility, which will be presented as a wise and pragmatic decision,” outgoing Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvorak (STAN) told Czech Television.
“The saddest thing about this is that the unwillingness to actively help in the fight against occupiers may come back to haunt our country when the same aggressor approaches our borders and our Western allies take the same ‘pragmatic’ approach,” he added.
Outgoing Agriculture Minister and KDU-CSL leader Marek Vyborny said Babis’s statements were shameful and a threat to the security, economic, and commercial interests of the Czech Republic. “If the Czech Republic does not participate in helping Ukraine, if we do not remain an active part of the coalition of the willing, if we do not coordinate the ammunition initiative, we will harm ourselves first and foremost,” he wrote on social media.
MEP Veronika Vrecionova (ODS) described Babis’s statement as shameful and cowardly. “From day one, the new Prime Minister has been figuring out how not to help Ukraine, and the only ones applauding him are Putin, Orban, and Fico,” she wrote.
Outgoing PM Petr Fiala (ODS) called Babis’s decision a selfish and irresponsible approach which threatens not only the security of the Czech Republic but also its prosperity. “I think the richer and more responsible European states will remember this, for instance when preparing the seven-year European budget. And it will not be good for the Czech Republic,” he said.
Representatives of the outgoing Czech government also noted the economic benefits of Czech aid to Ukraine, in the context of Czech arms makers supplying the embattled country, which brought jobs and tax revenues to the Czech Republic. They said that aid to Ukraine will also support the involvement of Czech companies in the country’s post-war reconstruction.
The first option of financing Ukraine would involve the EU raising capital on the capital markets and using the EU budget as collateral. However, this solution requires unanimous approval by EU member states.
For the second solution, a reparations loan for Kyiv, approval by a qualified majority would suffice. This option is opposed by Hungary and Slovakia. These two countries also voted on Friday against a proposal to keep Russian assets in the EU indefinitely. This means that it will not be necessary to vote on this issue every six months, as has been the case until now.
According to CTK, this change, approved by a qualified majority of EU member states, was also supported by the Czech Republic, represented by outgoing Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura (ODS). Four countries, including Belgium, voted in favour, but added a statement that this decision should not pre-empt further steps regarding frozen Russian assets.
The EU is blocking Russian assets worth roughly 210 billion euros. Belgium wanted guarantees that if the assets were to be returned to Russia, other EU countries would cover a part of the costs. According to available sources, for the Czech Republic it would mean CZK 89 billion.
