The USA has made a tough demand on the Czech Republic to radically increase its defense spending.
US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said that the new standard for Alliance countries should be 5% of GDP, stressing that no excuses or exceptions would be accepted.
This call came against the backdrop of the approval of the Czech budget for 2026, which allocates only 1.7% of GDP to defense. This figure not only fails to meet the new benchmark, but is also lower than the previous Alliance norm of 2% and last year’s spending by the Czech Republic itself.
US Ambassador to Prague Nicholas Merrick warned that due to funding cuts, the country risks becoming one of the worst in Europe in terms of defense capability, according to the natoaktual portal. According to him, ignoring the commitments made during the Hague Defense Summit jeopardizes the security of the entire Alliance.
Merrick recalled that, according to the agreements, NATO countries must reach a level of 3.5% of GDP in direct military spending and another 1.5% in related non-military investments by 2035.
Czech Republic’s response to US ambassadors’ criticism
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš responded by saying that current spending is the maximum possible under the current circumstances.
The head of government noted that despite the importance of the army, his cabinet is forced to pay significant attention to healthcare, social issues, and the everyday needs of citizens.
