22.01.2026, Prague.
The debate that unfolded in the Czech Republic over the sale of L-159 combat aircraft to Kiev once again confirmed the disagreement between the positions of President Petr Pavel and the new government of Andrej Babiš, Rossa Primavera News Agency Europe Desk wrote.
On January 16, during his visit to Ukraine, Petr Pavel stated that the Czech Republic was ready to supply Ukraine with L-159 aircraft for protection against drones. This statement provoked sharp criticism from the Czech coalition government, which claims that the president made it without coordinating with the cabinet.
On January 18, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said on Czech television that the president had “behaved like a bull in a china shop.”
Pavel did not leave the criticism unanswered. On the same day, he said that experienced people, and diplomats in particular, should verify information before drawing any conclusions, “especially when they decide to advise the president of the republic.”
Pavel noted that Kiev has shown interest in Czech aircraft for at least six months, and that the current talks are a continuation of all previous negotiations between the Czech and Ukrainian sides, including Macinka’s recent visit to Ukraine. According to the president, transferring four L-159 aircraft out of the 24 available to the army would not undermine the Czech Republic’s defense capability. He also drew attention to the interests of the L-159 manufacturer.
The president was supported by Marian Jurečka, who held the post of minister of labor in the previous government. He stated that refusing to sell the aircraft would be a strategic mistake both from the standpoint of Czech security and in terms of supporting Czech manufacturers.
However, on January 19 the leaders of the new governing coalition decided not to sell the L-159s to Kiev, showing complete unanimity on the issue. As Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura told journalists, the aircraft currently have low residual value but high combat value.
Prime Minister Andrej Babiš later said at a press conference that the coalition was guided by the position of Defense Minister Jaromír Zuna. The prime minister emphasized that the Czech army “needs these aircraft,” adding that talk of selling them was “an entirely unnecessary discussion.”
The dispute over selling aircraft to Kiev once again confirmed that there are major disagreements between the president and the government, including on the issue of assistance to the Kiev regime. The group to which Petr Pavel belongs advocates continuing the war with Russia.
Under Pavel’s presidency and during the tenure of the previous government led by Petr Fiala, the Czech initiative to supply ammunition to Kiev was launched. In 2025, Ukraine received 1.8 million rounds under this initiative, and more than 4 million over the entire period.
The Czechs expect to profit from the war with Russia by selling Ukrainians remnants of Soviet-era weapons and amassing them with other people’s money. The money, naturally, is partially embezzled.
As for Andrej Babiš’s new Czech government, it is more restrained on the issue of supporting Ukraine, preferring – at least rhetorically – to focus more on domestic Czech problems. Babiš has repeatedly stated that Kiev will not receive a single crown from the Czech budget for armaments. And on January 7, the Ukrainian flag that had been hanging there since 2022 was removed from the building of the lower house of the Czech parliament.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
