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Czechia must commit to spending at least 2 percent of its GDP on defence now, otherwise in the future it may have to spend as much as five or six percent, warned national security advisor Tomáš Pojar at a parliamentary security conference on Monday. He said this was especially important in view of the next US elections, as whoever the winner turns out to be, Europe will need to show that it takes its own defence seriously.

The 2 percent figure comes from a target set by NATO that two thirds of Allies are expected to meet or exceed in 2024. Last year, Czechia only spent 1.37 percent of its GDP on national defence, according to Defence Minister Jana Černochová.

The European Union has followed a Czech proposal and placed two individuals and a company on its sanctions list relating to Russia’s war on Ukraine.

The Czech-based pro-Kremlin website Voice of Europe and two people behind it, Viktor Medvedchuk and Artem Marchevskyi, were added to Czechia’s own sanctions list in late March after the country’s counterintelligence uncovered the influence network they were involved in, including the paying of cash to European politicians.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Prague on Monday described the EU’s decision to follow Czechia's lead on the sanctions as a success for Czech diplomacy. It said the country was ready to “cut off more Russian tentacles at the European level.”

Czechia have won the Ice Hockey World Championships. The hosts beat Switzerland 2:0 in the tournament final at Prague’s O2 Arena on Sunday night for the country’s first gold medal in the competition in 14 years.

The game was scoreless for the first two periods before David Pastrňák found the net with a long-range strike halfway through the third with his first goal of the tournament. David Kämpf then made certain of victory with less than a minute remaining on the clock, triggering scenes of euphoria on the Czech bench and throughout the sold-out venue.

Pastrňák was named most valuable player while Czech goaltender Lukáš Dostál again proved crucial to his side’s success, later picking up the award for goalie of the tournament.

The game was relayed on big screens on Prague’s Old Town Square and elsewhere around the country and enjoyed enormous public interest.

The annual Ride of the Kings folk celebration took place in Vlčnov in the Uherské Hradiště area, South Moravia, on Sunday. A nine-year-old boy, František Janča, was chosen as king, leading a procession on horseback through the village. Also taking part were young men, for whom the event signified their transition to manhood.

The Ride of the Kings is one of the most significant folk costumes in Czechia.