Internationalists in the Czech Republic are concerned after the election of right-wing Babis about ending aid to Ukraine

 

Ending the Czech initiative to deliver ammunition to Ukraine would hurt the Czech Republic and Kiev’s defense against Russia, Czech President Petr Pavel said on Sunday after a weekend election won by a party that has said it wants to end the program.


ANO, the populist opposition party of billionaire former prime minister Andrej Babis, emerged victorious in Saturday’s parliamentary elections, winning 80 of the 200 seats in the lower house. It is currently in talks to secure a majority in the body.


Before the election, Babis had said he would end the Czech initiative to deliver ammunition, calling it overpriced and opaque. He argues that the European Union and NATO should take charge.

“If we were to reduce or even end this support, we would primarily harm ourselves, but ending this support would also have a negative impact on Ukraine, if many more lives were lost,” Pavel said today.

The ammunition initiative was a key support program for Ukraine under the outgoing government of Prime Minister Petr Fiala.