Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy today visited the Government Office in Prague, where Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) welcomed him after almost two years.
The two leaders discussed the continuation of aid to Ukraine, the Czech ammunitions initiative, the possibility of a ceasefire and peace, and the involvement of Czech companies in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Zelenskiy and his wife Olena arrived in the Czech Republic on Sunday. They were received at Prague Castle by President Petr Pavel and his wife Eva. The presidents discussed the development of the situation in Ukraine, the prospects for peace negotiations, as well as the possibilities of post-war reconstruction, in which the Czech Republic wants to participate, according to Pavel at a press conference after the meeting.
The state visit is accompanied by strict security measures. The Ukrainian president started today’s programme with a visit to the Chamber of Deputies, where he met leaders of the ruling parties and the opposition. A photograph Zelenskiy took with parliamentary staff of Ukrainian origin was widely shared on social media.
Zelenskiy was greeted by Fiala in the garden of the Government Office. The ceremony was also attended by Interior Minister Vit Rakusan, Industry Minister Lukas Vlcek (both STAN), Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, National Security Adviser Tomas Pojar and Government Commissioner for the Reconstruction of Ukraine Tomas Kopecny.
This afternoon, Senate President Milos Vystrcil (ODS) welcomed Zelenskiy in the first courtyard, before their a short bilateral meeting. Zelenskiy also met representatives of defence industry companies, students, and the Ukrainian community.
This was the second presidential visit of Zelenskiy to the Senate. In 2023, he received a symbolical key from the upper house as a gift. The roughly 40-minute meeting in the Senate seat in the Wallenstein Palace was attended not only by the Senate deputy heads, but also by the chairs of its foreign affairs and education committees. Before the meeting, the Ukrainian President signed the Senate’s Book of Remembrance, as he did in the Chamber of Deputies this morning.
Zelenskiy said he expected that further meetings between the governments of both countries would also take place in Ukraine.
After meeting Czech parliament speaker Marketa Pekarova Adamova (TOP 09), Zelenskiy said that Ukraine sees Czech assistance in the fight against Russian aggression, including the ammunition initiative, as a joint fight against terrorism.
Karel Havlicek (ANO) said the meeting was proper, saying that the ammunition and weapon deliveries had not been discussed.
In his brief speech, Zelenskiy referred to both humanitarian projects and the ammunition initiative, under which Ukraine could receive 1.8 million more large-calibre units of ammunition by the end of the year.
According to Pekarova Adamova, Ukrainian soldiers saved the whole of Europe, including the Czech Republic, from Russian aggression by managing to stop the invasion, which started in February 2022.
She thanked the Ukrainian president for this, and praised the bravery and resilience not only of Ukrainian soldiers, but of the entire Ukrainian nation. She promised that the Czech Republic would continue to support Ukraine and would continuously provide it with all the assistance it needed. She noted that all members of the lower house leadership had condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
“It shows that there is unity with the opposition, both the Pirates and ANO, that there is no doubt at all who is the aggressor, that Russia is the aggressor and that Ukraine is the victim and needs assistance,” Pekarova Adamova said. She added that the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) parliamentary leader, Radim Fiala, had received an invitation on behalf of SPD, but had declined.
Pekarova Adamova said that in the case of contentious issues, the negotiations were not detailed.
Havlicek reiterated that ANO did not consider the ammunition initiative to be transparent, and said his party would review the initiative if returned to government. Moreover, Havlicek said it should be managed and controlled from the NATO level as well.
Havlicek said that peace talks should be a priority,and that: “Ideally, the conclusions of the talks should be in line with Ukraine’s interests,” he said.
Pekarova Adamova said the deterrence of Russia must continue. “Because Russia can arm itself again in a few years and, strengthened, go to battle again,” she warned.
After the end of the war, Havlicek said, it is necessary for Czech companies to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine. He believes the conditions for this must be prepared now. “World powers are already preparing their positions very actively,” he noted.
According to Chamber of Deputies Vice-Speaker Vera Kovarova (STAN), Zelenskiy expressed gratitude that the Czech Republic was interested in cooperating in the reconstruction of Ukraine, mentioning hospitals in particular.
A year and a half ago, the Czech Senate and the Ukrainian Parliament concluded a memorandum on supporting Ukraine in its fight against the Russian aggressor, its post-war reconstruction and its accession to NATO and the EU. The Senate also donated a passenger transport van and a generator for electricity production to the Ukrainian parliament from its own resources.
