Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis reaffirmed his country's commitment to NATO but rejected calls from Washington and the alliance to accelerate increases in defense spending. Babis said Prague cannot afford faster spending hikes despite growing warnings about the threat posed by Russia. Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis reiterated his government's commitment to NATO membership this week while rejecting calls from the United States and fellow alliance members to speed up increases in the country's defense budget. Babis said Prague's current spending trajectory already stretches the national budget.

Washington and NATO's leadership have pressed member states to move faster toward higher defense-spending targets, citing what they describe as a growing threat from Russia along the alliance's eastern flank. Babis acknowledged those warnings but argued that a sudden jump in military spending would strain other parts of the Czech budget, including social programs. The disagreement highlights a broader split within NATO over how quickly members should scale up defense budgets amid pressure from Washington. The Czech government has not ruled out gradual increases in future years, but Babis said any acceleration beyond the country's existing plan is currently unaffordable.

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