The Czech Republic would be ready to honour its NATO commitments in the event of a Russian attack on a Baltic country, Prime Minister Andrej Babis told a Czech news website on Tuesday.
– Babis, whose government includes a pro-Russian anti-immigrant party, has halted Czech contributions to military aid for Ukraine and also opted out of EU and NATO financing and military aid pledges for Kyiv.
– He has repeatedly spoken about the need for European leaders to promote peace, and was criticised in a presidential campaign in 2023 for saying he would not send Czech soldiers to fight for allies.
– Asked by denik.cz , if Prague was preparing for the eventuality of Russian action against NATO, a possibility raised by some NATO members’ secret services, Babis said he was having discussions on security challenges, including with President Petr Pavel.
– “The fact we do not talk about it and journalists don’t get fodder for their articles does not mean we don’t address it,” Babis said in the video interview.
– “Of course we are preparing. If, God forbid, Russia were to attack a Baltic state, then, under Article 5 (NATO members’ mutual defence commitment), we have to send two of our mechanised brigades,” he said.
– “Of course we would be active and we talk about it, but I don’t see a reason to share classified information.”
– Western European governments and intelligence services have said there is a growing likelihood of Russia stepping up hybrid attacks such as sabotage or even launching a limited military attack.
– Babis said this month, without giving details, that Russia was waging a hybrid war against the Czech Republic, and that intelligence services were giving it maximum attention.
– Moscow has repeatedly denied plotting any confrontation, or involvement in hybrid warfare or the increasingly frequent sabotage operations plaguing European NATO countries.