The outcome of the Ukraine conflict will be determined by the upcoming US presidential election in November, according to former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis. In an interview with the Financial Times, he stated that even EU and NATO countries are not united on how to proceed in Ukraine, suggesting the bloc should pursue peace above all else.
Babis believes that the US elections will decide the course of the war in Ukraine, stating that a Trump win would be beneficial for Europe because he had promised to end the war immediately. The Czech Republic has been one of the top supporters of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, actively supplying assorted weaponry and munitions to Kiev.
These comments come as Babis’ ANO party secured significant victories in regional elections last week, winning in ten of the country’s 13 regions. The ANO party also won partial elections for the Czech Senate over the weekend, dealing another blow to the ruling five-party coalition led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala.
The election setbacks experienced by the ruling coalitions and internal strife within their ranks, such as Fiala firing his deputy and the leader of the allied Pirate Party, seem to have given Babis confidence that he will be able to return to power in the parliamentary election next October.
Babis stated, “I would say that the ruling parties have another full year to prove to the citizens of the Czech Republic that they are completely incompetent and unqualified to govern the country, as they have been demonstrating these past three years.” However, it remains uncertain whether the current government will be able to maintain its position until the next election.
In recent news, German media reported that some munitions procured under the Czech Republic’s “ammunition initiative” turned out to be defective, detonating shortly after leaving the barrel and exhibiting otherwise dangerous properties. While Prague has acknowledged this issue, it maintains that the number of “isolated” incidents with faulty munitions remains small.
Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said, “We know that we are purchasing not only new ammunition but also old stocks, which may have potential issues.” Despite these challenges, the Czech Republic remains committed to its support for Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.