Czech PM calls on European allies to increase aid to Ukraine, defense spending

He made this statement on the social network X ahead of the upcoming meeting of EU leaders in London, as reported by Ukrinform.

“If we do not want an aggressive Russia to expand just a few hundred kilometers from our homes, we need to increase military aid to Ukraine,” Fiala said.

He emphasized that the Czech Republic is facing a serious historical challenge and must take care of its own security and future, since no one else will do it for it.

“And if we want sustainable peace, we must be well armed. This is impossible without increasing defense spending to at least 3% of GDP,” Fiala added.

He warned that anyone who claims otherwise is endangering the national security of the Czech Republic, and stressed that after recent events, this issue has become more pressing than ever.

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The Czech Republic's historical experience, he added, shows that failure to act quickly and allowing the aggressor to dictate terms never leads to a good outcome. Fiala promised to defend this position at the London summit.

Earlier it was reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and more than a dozen EU leaders to London on Sunday, March 2, to discuss security guarantees that countries could provide to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia.

Fiala has repeatedly stressed the need to increase defense spending and the feasibility of achieving this goal. In 2024, the Czech Republic met the 2014 NATO summit target of 2% of GDP for defense spending.