Fiala Pushes Ukraine Support, Pledges More Helicopters

Speaking alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Prague, Czech PM Petr Fiala commits to donating an unspecified number of military helicopters and other materiel to Kyiv. Fiala states that "Ukraine can count on EU support", and that he is "convinced that Ukraine's future is in the EU and NATO." Says that "I expect all NATO allies to support Ukraine's bid to join...Ukraine's security is all Europe's security." Zelenskyy reiterates frequent comment, saying that "This year we must do everything to start negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU."

• The overt show of support for Ukraine comes as Fiala's centre-right ODS and its coalition partners continue to fall further and further behind former PM Andrej Babiš populist ANO 2011 in opinion polls. While the next election is not due until October 2025 at the latest, the surge for Babiš' party (now leading the ODS by +15%) will remain a cause for concern among the governing parties.
• The clear split between Fiala's gov't and President Petr Pavel (former chair of NATO military committee and hard-line Russia hawk) on one side, Babiš's ANO (much more hesitant to spend on Ukraine support) on the other could prove a significant political dividing line in Czechia in the run-up to the next election.