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The new Czech government wanted to send a clear signal to Ukraine that dialogue and swift contact are a priority, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said after talks in Kyiv with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha. According to Macinka, the Ukrainian side made major concessions in negotiations, demonstrating a genuine commitment to peace and an end to the war. He added that responsibility now lies with Russia. Macinka also welcomed a compromise ensuring the continuation of the Czech-led ammunition initiative. Ukraine has been defending itself against Russia’s invasion since February 2022 with Western support.

Road deaths in Czechia fell to 421 last year, the lowest figure since records began in 1961, police said. That was 17 fewer than the year before. The total number of accidents also dropped year on year to about 85,000. Police President Martin Vondrášek and traffic police chief Michal Hodboď said inattention at the wheel remained the most common and deadliest cause of crashes. A total of 280 drivers were killed, along with 71 passengers, 70 pedestrians, and 34 cylists. Motorcycle deaths fell sharply to 57, down by 24, which police partly attribute to targeted prevention campaigns for vulnerable road users.

The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint by Maltese company Fynerdale Holdings, which had sought compensation of 1.7 billion crowns from the Czech state. The firm argued that investigators and prosecutors mishandled a criminal case involving fraud with poppy seeds and other crops. Lower courts ruled that the claim was time-barred and that the state was not liable for the alleged damage. The Constitutional Court agreed, saying the courts had dealt with the company’s arguments in a logical and consistent manner. Fynerdale Holdings also failed earlier in an international arbitration over the same case.

Heavy snowfall hit parts of Czechia early on Friday morning, moving east from western Bohemia and causing widespread traffic problems.

Road crews began clearing snow overnight, but fresh snowfall and poor visibility still led to numerous accidents. Stranded trucks blocked traffic at two points on the D5 motorway in western Bohemia, while the D6 motorway west of Prague was also closed. Some public transport services in Central Bohemia experienced delays.

Snowfall is expected to continue across most of the country through the morning, easing later in the day.

Meanwhile, eastern regions remain in the grip of severe frost. In the Hradec Králové region, temperatures fell below minus 20 degrees Celsius for the fifth night in a row. The lowest reading, minus 27.3 degrees, was recorded in Orlické Záhoří. Freezing conditions are expected to return nationwide over the weekend.