Eurosceptic and frontrunner to win the Czech parliamentary election in October, Andrej Babis, has told the Financial Times that he intends to ignore NATO's 5% defence spending target and halt arms supplies to Ukraine.
Babiš plans to break Prague's pledge to increase defence spending to 5% of gross domestic product if he takes power, joining Spain in rejecting the target demanded by US President Donald Trump.
The billionaire and former prime minister, whose Eurosceptic opposition party "Ano" leading in opinion polls ahead of the October election, told the Financial Times that he still admired Trump but wanted to prioritize social spending in the country.
"Maybe someone should explain to Trump that 5% is not realistic", Babis told the publication.
Babiš, whose party is part of a parliamentary group in the European Parliament along with French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, also said that Vladimir Putin had made a big mistake by attacking Ukraine, but that the Russian threat had been exaggerated. Babis also said that if he wins the election, he will stop providing more planes and weapons to Ukraine and will end a Czech-led initiative to buy ammunition from third countries for Kiev.
Because of this stance, current Prime Minister Petr Fiala, whose party has been lagging in opinion polls due to internal conflicts that led to the departure of one of his coalition partners, has framed the upcoming vote as a choice between maintaining Prague's commitment to the EU and NATO or veering towards pro-Russian governments such as those in Hungary and Slovakia.
During his term, Babis has maintained a hard line towards Brussels, especially after the EC demanded the repayment of EU funds allocated to his company. Last month, the Czech Supreme Court overturned an earlier acquittal and reopened the case for fraud related to EU subsidies. Babis denied any wrongdoing and called the case "nonsense" invented by his political opponents.
We must help Ukraine win the war. This is what Romanian Foreign Minister Oana Coiu called for, BNR reported. In an interview with the local television "Antena 3", she also commented that Bucharest will not send troops to the Ukrainian front but will provide humanitarian support. Romania will also be involved in the process of rebuilding Ukraine. More from Lachezar Valev
When asked what Romania's position is in the war in Ukraine and what Bucharest will do from now on, Minister Coiu replied:
"We must move from helping Ukraine resist to helping Ukraine win. This is a very important step. The difference between these words is very important. In Romania, we need to understand more clearly that the resistance that Ukraine is currently putting up, the people it has on the front line, the sacrifices that Ukrainian society is making, are part of the elements that are also reducing the risks for Romania.
The Romanian Foreign Minister noted that the Patriot air defense system donated to Ukraine last year has not made Romania's defense more vulnerable, but on the contrary - the stratum is now better protected.
Asked whether Romania will help Ukraine with money, weapons or military personnel, Oana Coișu explained that "so far Ukraine has not requested assistance and Romania has not made a decision to send military personnel there".
She pointed out that Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilots are being trained in Romania. This is happening in the opening at the end of 2023. military base near Feteşti, southeastern Romania, where there is a European pilot training center for these combat aircraft.
Oana Coiu also noted that both Romania and other EU countries can draw on Ukraine's military experience gained in the conflict with Russia, such as the use of drones.