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Ukraine’s BFF in Europe

The Czechs scoured the world for ammunition to bolster the weakening defenses of Ukraine, a country sacrificing the most for the values of Europe and the U.S.

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REUTERS
People attend a protest to mark the two-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the Old Town Square in Prague, Czech Republic, Feb. 24, 2024.
  • By the Monitor's Editorial Board

If there is such a thing as the heart of Europe, it would be the Czech Republic. The nation of only 10.5 million people in central Europe has shown once again why it is the most generous and unfailing supporter of Ukraine.

In recent weeks, Czech diplomats have scoured the globe to discreetly procure 800,000 artillery rounds from 18 countries for a Ukrainian military currently in a serious ammo deficit against Russian forces.

“We are like hobbits – small and peaceful, but in a moment of crisis we jump to forge alliances with much more powerful countries and deliver results,” Tomas Kopecny, the Czech special envoy for Ukraine, told The Wall Street Journal, referring to the heroes in the “Lord of the Rings” saga.

On Monday, the successful Czech initiative helped push the European Union to announce that it will provide more than $5.5 billion in additional military aid to Ukraine. And the moral leadership of the Czechs could help unlock a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine now stalled in the U.S. Congress.

The Czech Republic, states the news site Aktuálně.cz, “has been experiencing the most stellar diplomatic moment since joining Nato and the EU.”

Once a former satellite state of the Soviet Union, the Czech Republic is clear about its motives. Even though Ukraine is not a member of NATO or the EU, it is sacrificing more than any other country to safeguard Western values such as freedom, democracy, and respect for the individual, states Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky.

“It is holding back a much better armed opponent with tremendous resolve and has in the past managed to liberate almost half of the territory Russia occupied after the start of its aggression in 2022,” Mr. Lipavsky said. “It managed to change the balance of power in the Black Sea [with its attacks on the Russian Navy].” Duty calls, he says, for the Czechs to support Ukraine.

In addition to providing early and strong military support to Ukraine, the Czechs have been the most generous European country in welcoming Ukrainian refugees. In December, the Czech Parliament approved an extension of protection for Ukrainian refugees, providing them access to jobs, education, and health insurance.

Ukrainians are “not running out of courage, they are running out of ammunition,” says NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Yet in addition to stiffening Ukraine’s military, the Czechs may also be stiffening the resolve of the Ukrainians. And showing the world that the front lines of freedom are everywhere.

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