Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said Prague will continue coordinating its international ammunition initiative for Ukraine, provided the program is fully financed by partner states and does not draw on Czech public funds.
The statement followed talks in Paris among leaders of the so-called “coalition of the willing,” where security guarantees for Ukraine after a potential ceasefire were discussed. Babiš said the meeting marked a shift in focus toward postwar arrangements but stressed that the Czech Republic has reservations about parts of the emerging framework.
Ammunition initiative to continue under strict conditions
According to the Czech government, Babiš confirmed that the ammunition initiative – which sources large-caliber artillery shells for Ukraine from non-EU countries – will not be canceled. Instead, the Czech Republic will remain in a coordinating role, while funding must come exclusively from foreign partners.
“The project will continue, and the Czech Republic will be the coordinator,” Babiš said. “No money from Czech citizens will be invested in the ammunition initiative.”
He added that the program must meet strict standards of oversight. Speaking to Czech journalists in Paris, Babiš said transparency was essential for its continuation.
“We have the know-how, our companies have the know-how,” he said. “Of course, it must be transparent and without corruption.”
The initiative, first launched under former prime minister Petr Fiala in 2023, began delivering ammunition to Ukraine in mid-2024. More than four million rounds have reportedly been supplied so far, with Czech companies helping to broker contracts and logistics.
While backing the initiative’s continuation, Babiš has taken a more cautious line on military assistance to Ukraine than his predecessor. The freshly elected prime minister has repeatedly expressed skepticism about large-scale military aid and is often grouped with more Ukraine-wary leaders within the European Union, including Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Shift from campaign rhetoric
Babiš’s position represents a notable shift from his stance during last year’s parliamentary election campaign, when he sharply criticized the ammunition program and pledged to scrap it if elected.
More recently, however, he has acknowledged its strategic value, while insisting that Czech taxpayers should not bear the cost. The decision to maintain the initiative was taken in agreement with coalition partners, he said.
The State Security Council is expected to further review the program’s details, though Babiš said international consultations had already convinced him that ending the initiative would not serve Czech interests.
Reservations over peace framework
While backing continued military support for Ukraine through ammunition deliveries, Babiš made clear that Prague does not support all elements of the draft Paris declaration.
“Each state has different options and I have reservations about some of the points of the declaration, like some other leaders,” he said.
In particular, Babiš ruled out Czech participation in any peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
“The Czech Republic, like several other countries, does not count on sending its troops as part of a peacekeeping mission,” he said.
According to expats.cz, the leading independent English-language media platform in the Czech Republic, Babiš stated that Prague would continue focusing on training Ukrainian soldiers and strengthening its own armed forces.
“We are short of troops, we need to build our army, and we need our soldiers at home,” Babiš said, adding that several other European countries share the same position.
Emphasis on US role in security guarantees
Babiš also highlighted the importance of the United States in any future security arrangement for Ukraine.
“I also consider it important that a large part of the security guarantees would fall on the United States, according to today’s declaration,” he said. “I think this is a prerequisite for peace to be truly long-term.”
Taken together, Babiš’s remarks underline a pragmatic recalibration of Czech policy: maintaining material support for Ukraine through coordination and logistics, while resisting direct military deployment and shielding domestic budgets from further strain.