The Czech Republic will not be able to fulfill its obligations to NATO by 2026 due to cuts in military spending. The government plans to limit the Ministry of Defense's expenditures, which will affect the creation of a heavy brigade for the alliance.
Monitoring by the NGO CAT-UA revealed that the topic of Ukrainians leaving the country is the deepest line of social division, actively used for manipulation. The discussion around refugees is one of the most emotional and conflict-ridden, with a high level of hate speech.
The Czech Republic received 11. 7 billion crowns (482.6 million euros) from the work of Ukrainian refugees. This exceeded state spending on humanitarian aid, which amounted to 32 billion crowns (1.336 billion euros) over four years.
Ukrainians make up 10% of the workforce in the Czech construction sector, preventing the worsening of the personnel crisis. Their departure after the war will complicate the situation, but also open up opportunities for Czech companies in Ukraine.
Czech President Petr Pavel stated that there were attempts to interfere with ammunition purchases for Ukraine, but no corruption was recorded. Czechia involved 15 countries and supplied over 4.4 million rounds of ammunition.
A Kantar CZ poll showed that 62% of Czech citizens support the continuation of the ammunition initiative for Ukraine. Only 36% oppose this initiative.
President Zelenskyy held a conversation with Trump's representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner before trilateral meetings in Geneva. Developments after meetings in Abu Dhabi and a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also discussed.
President Zelenskyy informed US Secretary of State Rubio about the situation at the front and the consequences of Russian strikes. Diplomatic process, aid to Ukraine in winter, and strengthening resilience were discussed.
Ukrainian and Czech Presidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Petr Pavel discussed military support for Ukraine. The talks focused on ammunition supplies and the Czech Republic's participation in the PURL initiative.
Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker stated the need to make energy costs the top priority of the EU leaders' summit. High energy tariffs threaten the competitiveness of the industrial sector.
Kyiv region received 509 generators from international partners, which are installed at critical infrastructure facilities. The region operates 4636 generators with a total capacity of over 100 MW.
Minister of Energy Denys Shmyhal announced complex electricity supply schedules for Tuesday and Wednesday due to low temperatures. He also mentioned a review of the list of critical infrastructure facilities and increased control over electricity distribution.
The logistics major was served with a notice of suspicion for corruption, fraud, and evasion of duty. He received bribes for substituting food products, embezzled part of the supplies, and systematically traveled abroad.
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš advocates for a ban on social media use for children under 15, citing expert opinions on their harm. Similar measures are being considered by other countries, including France, where such a law has already been approved.
In Prague, a woman brought an anti-tank missile to a police station as part of a weapons amnesty. The surprised police officer called sappers, who determined that the missile was inactive.
The lower house of the Czech parliament rejected the opposition's proposal to dismiss the coalition led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The attempt to declare a vote of no confidence garnered only 84 votes, allowing the current cabinet to remain in power.
The EU Council has approved a legal framework for providing Ukraine with financial support of 90 billion euros, with the exception of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia. The funds will be directed to budget support and defense needs, and the first payment is expected in early Q2.
Mass rallies in support of Czech President Petr Pavel were held in Prague, organized by the Million Moments for Democracy association.
The Ukrainian national futsal team will face France on January 31 in the quarterfinals of the European Championship 2026. The match will take place in Riga at 5:00 PM, with bookmakers favoring Ukraine.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his loyalty to Donald Trump, is offering an "olive branch" to partners in the EU. This move comes amid rumors of his meeting with Trump, which reportedly did not meet Fico's expectations.
On January 30, the draw for the UEFA Europa League 2025/26 season playoffs took place in Switzerland. The matches will be held on February 19 and 26, and the winners will advance to the round of 16.
The European Union plans to provide Ukraine with the first tranche of financial assistance within the framework of a new 90 billion euro loan package in April. This assistance is designed for 2026-2027, of which 60 billion euros will go to military needs, and 30 billion euros - to budget support.
The Ukrainian national futsal team defeated the Czech Republic 5:3 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2026 European Championship. Their next opponent will be the French national team.
Law enforcement officers exposed a criminal organization that for almost a year smuggled kratom from the Czech Republic and sold it throughout Ukraine, including to military personnel. During the special operation, over 500 kg of drugs worth more than UAH 5 million were seized, and 6 people were detained.
Petr Macinka sent text messages to Petr Pavel through presidential adviser Petr Kolar, which the head of state considered an "attempt at blackmail. " The Czech police announced that they had received a request to investigate the content of the messages.
The private residence of Tomio Okamura, Speaker of the lower house of the Czech Parliament, was marked on Google Maps as "Organization for the Support of Ukraine. " This occurred after his statements regarding Ukraine and a pro-Ukrainian demonstration.
Czech President Petr Pavel reported an attempted blackmail by Foreign Minister Petr Mačinka regarding the appointment of a government member. He published text messages that he considers unacceptable.
Czech volunteers have developed the "Jan Žižka" drone with fiber-optic control, making it invulnerable to electronic warfare. The first 200 units have already been produced, and fundraising is underway to expand production.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the peace plan for Ukraine envisages its accession to the European Union on January 1, 2027. However, he noted that some EU member states, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia, would not agree to this.
The Ukrainian futsal team defeated Lithuania 4:1 at Euro 2026. The Ukrainians earned three points and are in second place in Group B.
