Obstacle for EU's Backing of Ukraine as Assistance Critic Wins Czech Election
The possibility has emerged that the EU's backing for Ukraine could face additional complications from certain member states following billionaire Andrej Babis's triumph in the Czech Republic's parliamentary elections. Babis's election pledge to cease military assistance to Ukraine aligns him with the prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico. This represents a significant shift from the position of the outgoing Czech centre-right government under Petr Fiala, which has steadfastly backed Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022.
Examination Vowed for Czech-Led Defense Aid Program
The likely incoming prime minister has pledged to review a Czech-led international initiative launched by the current government that has delivered 3.5 million artillery shells to Ukraine since 2024.
"Portraying me as a likely obstacle is not accurate," Babis stated after meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel.
The 71-year-old, Slovak-born politician asserted his pro-European stance and desire for "Europe to function properly." He noted that "Yearly, we transfer €2.5 billion to the Brussels budget, and obviously Brussels is assisting Ukraine, so I think we are fulfilling our role."
International Developments Regarding Ukraine Conflict
According to reports, US diplomats are preparing to inform UN member countries that the Cuban government is allegedly supporting Russia's military actions in Ukraine with figures suggesting up to 5,000 Cubans may be fighting alongside Moscow's forces. Recent warnings from Ukrainian officials to US lawmakers have highlighted the growing numbers of Russian recruitment of Cuban mercenaries.
"Following North Korea, Cuba appears to be the largest provider of foreign combatants for Russia's military campaign, with an estimated 1,000 to 5,000 Cubans engaged in fighting in Ukraine," according to diplomatic communications.
President Zelenskyy Criticizes Western Answer to Increasing Bombardment
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Western nations of showing "virtually no substantive response" to Russia's escalating aerial assaults following a massive attack on Sunday that resulted in six fatalities and eighteen injuries. The western city of Lviv, typically considered among Ukraine's safest urban centers, experienced its most prolonged and intense bombardment since the beginning of Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.
Zelenskyy restated his appeal for Western allies to provide additional air defense systems to counter what he termed Russia's "aerial terrorism". He emphasized that "Currently, Russian forces again attacked our infrastructure, everything that ensures people to maintain normal living conditions. We require enhanced protection, swift implementation of all defense agreements, particularly regarding air defense, to render this aerial terror ineffective."
War Crimes Investigation Launched Following Correspondent's Demise
French prosecutors announced on Sunday they had initiated a war crimes investigation after a drone strike killed 37-year-old photojournalist Antoni Lallican. The journalist was embedded with Ukraine's Fourth Armoured Brigade near the frontline in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region when he was killed on Friday. Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Ivanchenko was wounded in the same incident, which both Ukrainian military authorities and French President Emmanuel Macron attributed to Russian forces.
