Czech President unsure of continuing military aid to Ukraine after October parliamentary elections, but negotiating

Czech President Petr Pavel has not ruled out that the country's parliamentary elections in October this year will lead to a change of government, and made it clear that the priorities of a possible new government, in particular regarding the continuation of military assistance to Ukraine, are still difficult to assess.

"Now all my efforts are focused on maintaining a unified approach to security and defense issues, including our policy towards Ukraine. Because I believe that supporting Ukraine is an integral part of our own security," Pavel said in an interview with the BBC published on Thursday.

The Czech President said he was discussing the issue "with all the leaders of the parliamentary parties who will be part of the next government in one form or another." "I discussed with them the need to maintain the same principles in the field of security and foreign policy even after the elections. However, of course, I cannot give guarantees now - a lot will depend on their results," he said.

According to Pavel, in 2024 the Czech Republic was able to supply Ukraine with about 1.5 million units of large-caliber ammunition, and this year the volume of supplies will be 1.8 million, of which about 800,000 are of 155-mm caliber. He had previously promised that this initiative "will not be endangered in any way."

"Two years ago, they [the Ukrainians] were at such a disadvantage that their firepower compared to Russia was 1:10. Now the ratio is about 1:2. This means that with a constant influx of ammunition, the Ukrainian command can afford the luxury of planning, because they know what exactly they will receive in the coming months," the Czech president noted.

Pavel called on other Western leaders to "look reality in the face", increase pressure on Vladimir Putin and force him to sit down at the negotiating table. He said that he himself was open to talks with Putin, but only on condition that the Russian Federation approaches the dialogue from a realistic position, and not with the usual uncompromising agenda.

Pavel also noted that the Russian Federation exploits Western democratic systems and is waging a hybrid war across Europe, engaging in espionage, sabotage, cyberattacks and the spread of disinformation. According to him, the Czech Republic is stepping up efforts to prevent Russian agents from acting freely. "Russian intelligence is making so many sabotage attempts on our territory that we are simply obliged to protect our society," he said.

Parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic are scheduled for October 3 and 4 of this year. For the first time, Czechs living abroad will be able to vote in these elections, which potentially increases turnout. According to the publication, one of the most likely candidates for the position of head of government in the new cabinet in the event of a victory for the opposition is considered to be the country's former Prime Minister (2017-2021), the leader of the ANO movement, Andrej Babis, and it is with his name that Pavel's uncertainty about the future course of the Czech Republic may be associated.