The Czech Republic has sent hundreds of millions in military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, earning international recognition for its ammunition initiative. But with elections in October and rising public fatigue, future support could be at risk.
Written by Kateřina Zichová and Eliška Daněčková, Euractiv.cz
Czech aid to Ukraine throughout the Russian aggression has reached almost €286 million, including both military and humanitarian aid.
At the very beginning of the invasion in 2022, Czechia responded quickly, supplying weapons, ammunition and armoured vehicles. It accepted war refugees and established reception centres for them. Czech companies became involved in weapons production for Ukraine and in reconstruction efforts, particularly in the construction and energy sectors.
During the Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2022, Ukraine was a priority, with discussions focusing on approving sanctions, cutting dependence on Russian fuel imports, and providing military aid via the European Peace Facility.
In the early stages of the invasion, Ukrainian soldiers were also treated in Czech hospitals.
International recognition has been earned primarily by the Czech ammunition initiative, through which 1.5 million artillery shells were sent to Ukraine in 2024. By April this year, Czechia had procured and delivered another 400,000 shells. The initiative brings together more than 15 countries globally willing to purchase ammunition for Ukraine, with the Czech Republic acting as coordinator or intermediary. Prague itself contributed €34 million to the initiative. This year, the initiative is enjoying greater success, with contributions increasing by 29 % compared to 2024.
A crowdfunding campaign called “A Gift for Putin” has also been launched, through which a foundation fund is financing aid to Ukraine, such as a T-72 tank. Through the initiative, citizens can contribute towards ammunition, ballistic vests and drones. The Czechs have donated millions more to Ukraine through other channels, including humanitarian organisations.
According to the Kiel Institute, by 30 April 2025, Czechia had supplied Ukraine with the following:
- 62 T-72 tanks worth $100 million
- 131 infantry fighting vehicles (BVP-1) worth $33 million
- 12 multiple rocket launchers (RM-70) worth $20 million
- 13 Dana howitzers worth $20 million
- 16 air defence systems (2K12 KUB) worth $400 million
Czech soldiers also train Ukrainian personnel as part of the EU’s EUMAM mission – pilots receive F-16 training, and pyrotechnicians are trained too.
“In my opinion, aid for Ukraine is stable. And the ammunition initiative, for example, is a great project. Of course, we could try harder. It is certainly a pity that we did not join in the purchase of Patriots,” Josef Starý from Team4Ukraine told Euractiv.cz.
Starý is referring to the commitment of some European countries, including Germany, Norway and Denmark, to buy Patriot missile systems from the US for Ukraine. However, the Czech Republic has not joined the purchase.
“I could also imagine a significantly ‘tougher’ approach to Russia’s activities in the Czech Republic,” Josef Starý from Team4Ukraine told Euractiv.cz.
For example, Czechia has the highest number of Russian-owned companies registered in the EU. Deník N also reported on several Czech companies that it found to be circumventing sanctions and continuing to do business with Russia.
Current government is positioning itself as pro-Ukraine
The current Czech government regards aid to Ukraine as a priority and participates in international summits, such as those of the” coalition of the willing”, where it meets with counterparts from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other like-minded countries. The aim of these meetings is to express support for Ukraine, increase pressure on Russia and engage in the peace process.
Bilateral meetings also underscore Prague’s pro-Ukrainian stance. During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s visit to Prague, Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) pledged to continue training Ukrainian pilots and supplying ammunition.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský (independent) also supported the continuation of Czech aid. “The Czech Republic will continue to play its role, including through participation in the coalition of the willing and the continuation of the ammunition initiative. We want to deliver more large-calibre ammunition this year than in 2024 and continue this initiative in 2026," Lipavsky said, adding that the Czech Republic will continue to be "a reliable ally and partner of Ukraine, which is fighting an aggressive Russia even on our behalf."
Prime Minister Fiala is also focusing on military aid, which he recently discussed with German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz. During their meeting, he stated that ensuring a steady supply of military equipment to Ukraine is a priority. He also mentioned strengthening Ukraine’s air defence, an area in which he wishes to cooperate with Germany.
Another important chapter of Czech assistance is the reconstruction of Ukraine. The government advocates the continuation of the Ukraine Programme, aimed at humanitarian, stabilisation, reconstruction and economic support. The programme runs from 2023 to 2025 with a total budget of €17 million.
Another scheme, called Aid on the Spot, was established by the Ministry of the Interior to help countries experiencing humanitarian crises. This aid package includes humanitarian, stabilisation, reconstruction and economic support to Ukraine worth €3 million, of which approximately €1 million will be allocated to demining in the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Mykolaiv regions, and another €1 million to support livelihoods in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Assistance will also be provided to displaced Ukrainian citizens. For 2025, the planned allocation is almost 5 million.
On the other hand, the Czech Republic has reduced some forms of assistance provided to Ukrainian refugees. For example, the number of benefits granted to Ukrainians has decreased. As of 20 July, there were 378,000 Ukrainian people with temporary protection in the Czech Republic, which, per capita, is the highest number in the European Union. The share of working Ukrainians in the country is gradually increasing, reaching 80 %, according to the Voice of Ukrainians survey conducted by the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The opposition is spreading anti-Ukrainian narratives
However, the current government’s promises and their fulfilment are complicated by the fact that parliamentary elections will be held in October, which could bring political change and jeopardise future aid. Opinion polls favour former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), who now refers to the Czech ammunition initiative as “rotten and overpriced.” He has also stated that if the ANO movement wins the elections and he returns to the prime minister’s office, he will withdraw from the initiative. At the beginning of the invasion, his party donated €400 000 to Ukraine and expressed support to the invaded country. However, his approach changed later that same year.
His party colleague Alena Schillerová has also commented on the Czech ammunition initiative. According to her, under an ANO government, it would be necessary to conduct an audit of the initiative, which she believes should be led by the North Atlantic Alliance. She has also admitted that it could be cancelled.
The ANO movement’s stance has provoked sharp reactions from members of the current governing coalition. Former MEP Jiří Pospíšil from the governing party TOP 09 commented on the statements made by ANO leader Andrej Babiš as follows: “Our allies have praised and positively evaluated our ammunition initiative. Above all, we are helping Ukraine. If Ukraine does not have military equipment, technology, and ammunition from the West, it will simply fall.”
Although Babiš does not consider himself "anti-Ukrainian", his social media posts contribute to the spread of the anti-Ukrainian narrative. He often portrays aid to refugees from Ukraine as measures that are detrimental to Czech citizens.
Tomio Okamura, chairman of the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, claims that if his party is in government, it will revoke the residence permits of some Ukrainians and only allow those who work in positions where Czech citizens cannot be employed to remain.
Josef Starý from the Team4Ukraine organisation points out that opposition political parties have very different attitudes towards Ukraine. “On the one hand, there are outspoken supporters of Russia, such as the SPD, Stačilo, and Motoristé. Then there is ANO, whose views are quite variable. And I forgot about the Pirates, whose positions on this issue I perceive as identical to those of the government.”
Czech society prefers humanitarian aid to military aid
Czech society is also showing signs of fatigue. According to a STEM survey conducted on 16 July 2025, 46 % of Czech citizens are not very interested, or not interested at all, in events in Ukraine, and 49 % of the population considers military aid excessive. For comparison, in June 2024, 43 % of respondents considered the aid excessive.
Nor does the public see an end to the war as likely in the near future. Thirty-five per cent believe the war will continue for many years, while 33 % think Ukraine will have to give up part of its territory in exchange for peace and security guarantees from Western countries. Only 8 % believe that Ukraine will prevail and regain its territory.
A survey conducted for Czech Television by Data Collect in February 2025 found that the majority of Czechs (77 %) support humanitarian aid to Ukraine, but 61 % were in favour of a quick ceasefire, even at the cost of Ukraine losing territory. Only 39 % agreed with military aid.
“Support from Czech society remains strong,” Josef Starý is convinced. “Team 4 Ukraine is fully dependent on donations from citizens to help the attacked country. Thanks to the fact that people trust our organisation, we still have enough resources to help Ukraine. Since the beginning of the year, we have delivered aid worth CZK 120 million (almost €5 million) there,” he added.
On the other hand, support for parties opposing aid to Ukraine is growing. A survey by the MEDIAN agency shows that the ANO movement has the strongest support (32 %), followed by the SPOLU coalition (19 %), SPD (14 %), STAN (9 %), Pirates (8 %), STAČILO! (5.5 %) and Motorists (5.5 %).
Josef Starý also commented on the future of support for Ukraine in the Czech Republic. “It all depends on the outcome of the elections and the composition of the governing parties. If there is a minority government, its support will be ‘traded’ for something. What I see as the greatest danger for our country is a lack of awareness of the dangers threatening our country. Whether it’s politicians or citizens. That could backfire on us,” he summarised.
The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
The project is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea.
