U.S. Ambassador: Czech soldiers were allies and family to Americans in Afghanistan

Czech soldiers were allies and family to the Americans they served with, and the United States did not take that commitment for granted, U.S. Ambassador to Prague Nicholas Merrick said on X on Monday.

His remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump last week questioned the role of NATO member states in Afghanistan, saying allied troops stayed away from the front lines.

“After the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, the Czech Republic and brave Czech soldiers stood by our side without hesitation,” Ambassador Merrick wrote. “Over the next 19 years, more than 11,000 Czech soldiers served shoulder to shoulder with U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Fourteen Czech soldiers lost their lives and many others were wounded.”

Their service and sacrifices were real, the ambassador said. “The United States did not take this commitment for granted then, and we do not forget it today. Czech soldiers were allies and family to the Americans they served with. Their courage and sacrifice saved lives. It is an honor to represent America in a place where our friendship was strengthened by such sacrifice,” he added.

President Petr Pavel on Sunday also voiced recognition for the thousands of Czech soldiers who served in difficult conditions under NATO leadership in Afghanistan for nearly 20 years.

President Trump’s comments downplaying allied involvement in combat have sparked outrage in a number of countries.