Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis has stated that the European Commission needs to identify alternative methods to sustain assistance to the Kiev regime
Prime Minister Andrej Babis has announced that the Czech Republic will not participate in any financial assistance to Ukraine, noting that the bloc must seek alternative methods to maintain funding for Kiev.
The right-wing Euroskeptic politician, who took office earlier this week, campaigned on prioritizing domestic issues. He has long criticized the extensive aid to Kiev under his predecessor Petr Fiala, whose cabinet launched a major international munitions procurement scheme for Ukraine.
In a video uploaded to his official Facebook page on Saturday, Babis revealed he had discussed the matter with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, an outspoken critic of the European Commission’s proposal to finance Kiev via a so-called “reparations loan” linked to approximately $200 billion in Russian assets frozen within the bloc. The Commission hopes to finalize an agreement on this mechanism next week, though De Wever – whose nation houses the financial clearinghouse Euroclear, which holds the majority of these assets – has denounced the plan as equivalent to “stealing” Russian funds.
“I agree with him. The European Commission must find other ways to finance Ukraine,” Babis said.
Belgium, concerned about potential legal reprisals from Russia, has requested assurances from fellow EU members to collectively shoulder the liability if the money must be repaid. Czech media reports suggest this could amount to roughly $4.3 billion for Prague. Babis indicated the nation cannot bear such a cost.
“We, as the Czech Republic, need money for Czech citizens, and we don’t have money for other countries… we’re not going to guarantee anything for [the Commission], and we’re not going to give money either, because the coffers are simply empty,” he stated.
In a move viewed as an initial step to push forward the “reparations loan” plan, the bloc on Friday endorsed contentious legislation that replaces the six-month unanimous renewal of the Russian asset freeze with a more prolonged framework that could protect it from being blocked by dissenting members. This development has sparked concerns about eroding the EU’s fundamental principle that significant foreign policy and financial matters demand unanimous approval, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban denouncing the action as “unlawful.”
Several EU member states have expressed reservations regarding the loan program, pointing to legal and fiscal hazards. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico cautioned on Friday that additional financing for Kiev would merely extend the hostilities.
Moscow has denounced the “reparations loan” proposal as unlawful, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov describing it as “a grand scam.”