New Czech Defense Minister Confirms Continuation of Czech Initiative to Purchase Shells for Ukraine in 2026

The new Czech Defence Minister Jaromír Zuna has confirmed the continuation of the Czech Initiative, aimed at purchasing ammunition for Ukraine from ‘third countries,’ in 2026.

This was reported by the Czech media outlet Novinky.cz, citing the new minister’s speech.

Air defense and fulfillment of NATO commitments remain key issues for the Czech army, said the new Minister of Defence Jaromír Zuna, presenting his priorities for the next four years. He also confirmed the continuation of the Czech Initiative in support of Ukraine.

“I do not deny this, but we need to talk about effective management,” the minister said regarding the continuation of the Czech Initiative.

He called support for Ukraine self-evident. “Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine is under attack, and it is up to us to continue to support it,” he said.

At the same time, he praised new Prime Minister Andrej Babiš for negotiating an exception for the Czech Republic that would allow the country to not participate in the new €90 billion EU funding package for Ukraine.

“In the near future, I need to strengthen civilian governance, defense planning and the fulfillment of allied commitments. If necessary, we must reset the priorities of defense and the army. The priority is air defense,” Zuna outlined his point of view.

In mid-December 2025, the government of the new Prime Minister Andrej Babiš appointed the new Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, the retired General Jaromír Zuna, nominated by the SPD party.

The 65-year-old Zuna has many years of military experience: in 2019-2022, he was the first deputy chief of the General Staff. However, his candidacy has already caused controversy. Some in the military believe he is avoiding responsibility for his actions. At the same time, others consider him a balanced leader capable of effectively solving the army’s personnel problems.

Particular attention was drawn to his behavior at the briefing after the meeting with President Petro Pavel. Zuna avoided direct answers about the war in Ukraine and quickly ended his communication with journalists, which was perceived as an unwillingness to clearly express his position.

This caution may indicate a reluctance to conflict with key political players such as Babiş, Okamura, and President Pavel.

Babiš is known for his populist and ‘uncertain’ stance on aid to Ukraine. While the new speaker of the lower house of parliament, Tomio Okamura, is known for his Eurosceptic and pro-Russian statements. At the same time, President Petr Pavel has consistently advocated for assistance to Ukraine.

“The Czech Initiative has been implemented since April 2024. The program involves the purchase of shells in third countries and their delivery to Ukraine.

As of early December, the partner countries have already provided funding for the purchase of 760,000 artillery shells for Ukraine in 2026 under the Czech Initiative. In 2024, Ukraine received about 1.5 million artillery shells of various calibers under this initiative. In 2025, this figure increased to 1.8 million.