Czech military commanders met for annual conference

The leadership of the Czech Armed Forces convened on Tuesday in Prague to discuss priorities for the coming year. Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka warned that Russia remains Czechia’s greatest security threat, describing it as increasingly unpredictable and aggressive. He emphasized that preparation for war is a continuous, never-ending process and criticised the bureaucracy and slow processes within the Czech Army, citing Poland, the Netherlands, and Denmark as examples of more flexible modernisation.

President Petr Pavel warned at the conference, referring to Donald Trump’s peace plan, that if there is an end to the war in Ukraine in sight, it does not favour the attacked country. He also criticised the incoming ANO, SPD and Motorists coalition’s programme for failing to recognize Russia as a threat and to fully commit to NATO obligations.

Outgoing Defence Minister Jana Černochová (Civic Democrats) stressed that the Czech Republic must continue strengthening its defence. She highlighted that her ministry signed 49,000 contracts worth 590 billion CZK (24.4 billion EUR).