Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala met his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal in the western Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod yesterday, to discuss further support for Ukraine, economic cooperation, and the future of the Czech embassy in Kyiv.
Shmyhal said Ukraine was seeking more anti-Russian sanctions, and would also like to deepen its strategic partnership with the Czech Republic.
For his part, Fiala said that Ukraine can be sure that the Czech Republic stands by its side, and will continue to help with all its strength.
The Czech PM was accompanied on his one-day trip to Ukraine by Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura, Transport Minister Martin Kupka and Agriculture Minister Marek Vyborny.
Ukraine has been resisting Russian invasion for over three years, and has remained the top foreign policy priority for the Czech government, Fiala said.
“The Czech Republic supports and will support Ukraine by all means available, politically, economically and militarily. We are aware that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own security, but for the security of the whole of Europe,” he said.
Shmyhal said he believed that yesterday’s meeting showed unwavering unity and solidarity in the struggle for a just peace in Ukraine.
“Ukraine appreciates the all-round assistance of the Czech Republic and the Czech people,” he noted, highlighting the Czech ammunition initiative.
Fiala, Shmyhal and their delegations also discussed mutual cooperation on the international scene, where the Czech Republic wants to continue supporting Ukraine’s efforts to join the European Union, as well as economic, banking, technological and agricultural cooperation.
Fiala mentioned orders for the export of Czech weapons and military equipment worth tens of billions of crowns annually, and increasing non-military exports, which he described as good news. “Between 2023 and 2024 alone, Czech exports to Ukraine increased by 26%, and we want to continue this and to double our trade in the coming years,” he added.
The Ukrainian-Czech statement mentions 2029 as a time frame for this target.
The statement calls on the international community to increase sanctions pressure on Russia and expresses full support for the principles of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s peace plan. It also stresses the importance of further increasing military, financial, economic and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and condemns the systematic war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian armed forces.
It also states that both sides have agreed to cooperate in training Ukrainian pilots of F-16 and other types of aircraft and helicopters, including the development of simulation capabilities and practical training in the Czech Republic and Ukraine.
Fiala’s visit to Ukraine yesterday was his first since the end of October 2022, when a joint meeting of the Czech and Ukrainian governments was held in Kyiv.
After the talks, Kupka said he had discussed the possibilities for Czech companies to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine, especially transport infrastructure. The plans under discussion include a modern rail link between Poland and Lviv, and between Chop on the Ukrainian-Slovak-Hungarian border and Uzhhorod.
Kupka also spoke with Ukrainian officials about space technology. “The Czech company TRL Space is preparing the Drak (‘Dragon’) mission, which will enable detailed monitoring of Ukrainian territory for both civilian and military use,” he said.
