The Czech initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine may be terminated if the opposition party of former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, ANO, wins the parliamentary elections in October this year.
Points of attention
- The Czech Republic's initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine may be terminated if the opposition party ANO, led by former Prime Minister Andrej Babis, wins the upcoming parliamentary elections.
- Supplies of shells from the Czech Republic have helped alleviate the ammunition shortage in the Ukrainian army, but concerns have been raised about the quality and pricing of the ammunition.
- The potential halt in the purchase of shells could lead to a worsening of the situation for Ukraine and further escalation of the conflict, especially if Babis's party decides to move closer to the Kremlin and align with leaders like Viktor Orban and Robert Fico.
- Critics argue that stopping the ammunition initiative would be detrimental to Ukraine and could prolong the conflict, emphasizing the importance of peace talks to resolve the crisis.
- The stance of ANO's leadership on the ammunition purchase reflects broader geopolitical implications, as it could impact not only Ukraine but also the relationships between the Czech Republic, Russia, and European leaders.
What is known about the threat of the Czech Republic stopping the purchase of shells for Ukraine?
It is noted that Andrej Babis's opposition party ANO is currently leading according to public opinion polls and has already made a name for itself with promises to stop the process of purchasing shells for Ukraine, expressing doubts about the quality of this ammunition and its prices.
ANO deputy leader Karel Havlicek noted that the current initiative must be stopped.
"We have information from the military sector that the quality is not ideal and that it is simply extremely expensive," emphasizes Havlicek.
According to the publication's journalists, citing statements by the Ukrainian military, supplies from the Czech Republic helped reduce the ammunition shortage during the offensive of the criminal Russian army in 2024.
And although there were reports that a small portion of the shells were of poor quality and could not be used, Kyiv was generally satisfied with the supplies.
What is known about Babis's ANO's intentions to get closer to the Kremlin?
The current Czech government has already warned that if it wins the October parliamentary elections, Babis's party may take a course to strengthen relations with the Kremlin and European leaders loyal to Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin, such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.
Babis's ANO party was initially linked to European liberals, but last year joined Orban's far-right group in the EU Assembly.
Czech Deputy Foreign Minister Eduard Gulicius stressed that the opposition's threat to stop the ammunition initiative is like a doctor "turning off a patient's oxygen because there is already enough air in the atmosphere."
"They need to start peace talks. The more we drag out the conflict, the worse and worse the situation will be for Ukraine. When we are in power, it will be the end of the war, and if it is not the end, then everything will be very bad for Ukraine," Havlicek added.
