The Czech Republic will not be able to fulfill its obligations to NATO in 2026, especially regarding the military potential it must contribute to the alliance's common defense. This was reported by Radio Prague, citing the Czech Ministry of Defense, according to UNN.
The publication notes that the Czech government plans to limit the department's expenditures both in absolute terms and in proportion to the gross domestic product.
The Czech Republic has pledged to create a heavy brigade for NATO defense. In the coming years, German Leopard 2 A4 tanks are to be supplemented with more modern versions of 2 A8 tanks, which are crucial for it. In 2025, the army spent almost 11 billion crowns on tank purchases; this year, no crowns have been allocated for them in the budget.
Therefore, the proposed budget of the Ministry of Defense for this year may decrease from 156 to almost 155 billion, despite a significant increase in military salaries. In relative terms, the figure will decrease from 1.83 to 1.73% of GDP.
Defense Minister Jaromír Zuna assures that this will be enough for most of the military investments started. However, he admits that new purchases will have to be postponed for now. "There is room for negotiations, but payments for any completed purchases will only be made from 2027," he said.