Czech Republic's new premier: No money for Ukraine

The Czech Republic will not participate in any future EU financing of Ukraine, newly appointed Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said in a video message on Saturday, with a view to the EU summit meeting planned for the coming Thursday.

The right-wing populist also firmly rejected Czech participation in EU loan guarantees for the country invaded by Russia.

Babiš won the parliamentary election in October with his populist party ANO (Yes).

He is set to formally take over government duties in Prague on Monday and will then also represent the Czech Republic at the EU summit. During the summit, the European leaders plan to seek solutions on how the European Union can meet Ukraine's most urgent financial needs over the next two years.

"Czech Republic first"

"The European Commission must find another way to finance Ukraine," Babiš said in the video message addressed to his voters and the wider Czech population on the platform X.

"We will not guarantee anything and will not give any money," he said, adding that the Czech Republic itself has empty coffers and therefore "no money for other states." Every Czech crown is needed for the country's own citizens, he said.

During the election campaign for the Czech parliamentary election in October, Babiš campaigned with the slogan "Czech Republic first."