The Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, has definitively rejected the possibility of selling L-159 ALCA light attack aircraft to Ukraine, putting an end to a political debate that has gained momentum in the country in recent weeks.
The information was reported by the publication iDNES.cz, which followed the prime minister’s statements. According to Babiš, discussions on the issue were “artificially created” and do not reflect reality. “There is no L-159 and there will be no L-159. This matter is closed,” the prime minister said, ruling out any possibility of transferring the aircraft.
The prime minister also publicly criticized the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Karel Řehka, who had stated that it would be technically possible to provide four aircraft to Ukraine without compromising the country’s defensive capabilities. For Babiš, such assessments do not amount to a political decision.
Along the same lines, Defense Minister Jaromír Zuna stressed that the L-159 aircraft remain necessary for the Czech Army, an argument used by the government to justify refusing any sale or transfer to Kyiv.
Government officials emphasized that decisions on the transfer of weapons do not fall to the Armed Forces, but exclusively to the political leadership. According to the government, the role of the military is to provide technical and professional assessments. Even when such analyses indicate that a given piece of equipment could be transferred, this does not mean it is considered surplus or dispensable. In such cases, it is up to the government to authorize a formal exception declaring the asset “nonessential” or to veto its sale or donation.
The issue gained greater visibility after Czech President Petr Pavel mentioned the possibility of transferring the aircraft during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on January 16, 2026. Shortly afterward, however, the governing coalition formally rejected any decision in that direction.
With Babiš’s statements, the Czech government seeks to close the debate and reinforce that there are no plans to provide L-159 aircraft to Ukraine, despite the technical assessments presented by military sectors.
Source and images: idnes | Wikimedia. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
