Czech defence strategy to prioritise troop recruitment

Czech Defence Minister Jaromír Zůna (Motorists Party) is finalising a new military development strategy through 2040, expected to be presented in May. The plan aims to meet NATO capability targets while reflecting national priorities. According to Zůna, the immediate focus will be on recruiting professional soldiers, supported by stronger demographic cohorts in the coming years. After 2030, when population trends are expected to worsen, the strategy may shift toward other priorities. Defence spending is also set to rise, as Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO Party) acknowledged the country currently falls short of NATO’s two-percent-of-GDP benchmark. Opposition parties plan to raise the issue in parliament.