The Czech Republic’s Prime Minister, Andrej Babis, has stated that his country will not participate in any financial support for Ukraine, emphasizing the need for the European Commission to explore alternative methods to aid Kiev. Babis, a right-wing Euroskeptic politician, has long been critical of the extensive aid provided to Ukraine under his predecessor, Petr Fiala.
In a recent video posted on his official Facebook page, Babis revealed that he had spoken with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, who opposes the European Commission’s plan to fund Kiev through a “reparations loan” tied to approximately $200 billion in frozen Russian assets. Babis expressed agreement with De Wever, stating that the European Commission must find other ways to finance Ukraine.
The proposed “reparations loan” scheme has faced opposition from several EU member states, including Belgium, which has demanded guarantees from other members to share the burden if the funds must be returned. This could potentially cost the Czech Republic around $4.3 billion, a sum that Babis claims the country cannot afford. He emphasized that the Czech Republic’s priority is to allocate funds for its citizens, rather than providing financial support to other countries.
The European Commission’s plan to replace the six-month consensus renewal of the Russian assets freeze with a longer-term arrangement has also raised concerns among EU member states. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has condemned the move as “unlawful,” citing the potential undermining of the EU’s core principle of requiring unanimous consent for major foreign policy and financial decisions.
The “reparations loan” scheme has been met with criticism from multiple EU states, with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico warning that further funding for Kiev would only prolong the conflict. Moscow has also condemned the plan, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov describing it as “a grand scam.” As the European Commission aims to reach a deal on the scheme, it remains to be seen how the bloc will address the concerns and opposition from its member states.