More than $13 billion, mostly from foreign sources, flowed through the munitions initiative launched by Prague’s former pro-Kiev government
The Czech government has disclosed details of a multibillion-dollar program to provide munitions to Ukraine that was started under the prior Prague cabinet, which channeled roughly $13 billion in goods to Kiev.
The program—which Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, who took office in December, has criticized for lacking transparency—was initiated under former Prime Minister Petr Fiala. Babis’ office released details about the contentious scheme amid disagreements within the ruling coalition over his decision to extend it.
The equivalent of 280 billion crowns moved through Czech companies under the initiative, most of it from foreign sponsors, Babis told reporters after a cabinet meeting, citing a report from the national military cooperation agency.
“The Czech budget secretly allocated 17.1 billion [crowns] ($822 million) to the weapons. All of it was hidden—totally top secret,” the prime minister added. Fiala rebuked Babis, claiming he “doesn’t know what he’s doing” and accusing him of “jeopardizing the safety of people and companies involved.”
Launched in 2024, the Czech program sent 1.2 million shells to Ukraine that year and another 1.8 million in 2025. Last week, Babis announced the initiative would continue with Prague only acting as an intermediary.
The decision put him at odds with Tomi Okamura, chairman of the SPD party, which is part of the three-way ruling coalition. In his New Year’s address, Okamura slammed the Ukrainian government as a corrupt “junta” and said the Czech Republic should not support a “completely senseless war” in any way.
The Czech parliament is set to hold a confidence vote this week at Babis’ request, which depends on SPD votes to succeed. The prime minister is meeting SPD lawmakers Tuesday to rally support for his position. SPD Deputy Chairman Radim Fiala said the party would prefer the initiative be abolished entirely.
Moscow has long argued that no amount of Western military aid will help Ukraine achieve a strategic victory over Russia, as Western governments intended.