Czech Republic sending more weapons and military equipment to Ukraine

The Czech Republic will send additional weapons and military equipment to Ukraine, Prime Minister  Petr Fiala said following an extraordinary government session on Sunday. The prime minister said he had received a request for specific military systems from the Ukrainian president and the country was able to meet it without delay. The delivery, worth 400 million should be dispatched on Sunday afternoon. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has reportedly prepared the purchase and transport of hundreds of tons of fuel, which the Czech Republic is donating to Ukraine. On Saturday the country  sent Ukraine machine guns, submachine guns, sniper rifles, pistols and ammunition worth 188 million crowns, which have already been delivered.

Mr. Fiala said the democratic world must stand strong and united in the face of this aggression. He said the latest developments in Ukraine showed the importance of investing the required 2 percent of GDP into defense which the Czech Republic was committed to fulfilling by 2025. The Czech prime minister said isolating Russia would be costly, but Europe must be prepared the price for future European security.

In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic has stopped issuing visas to Russian citizens, except in humanitarian cases and Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said he would ask the EU to implement the same measure within Schengen.