Billionaire Babis becomes Czech Prime Minister, reduces aid commitment to Ukraine

The appointment ceremony on December 9 confirmed the results of the October parliamentary elections, paving the way for the government led by Mr. Babis to officially take office on December 15.

New Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis at his inauguration ceremony. Photo: X/Andrej Babis.

The new government under his leadership is predicted to steer the country away from its strong pro-Western and pro-Ukraine stance, potentially leading to tensions with partners within the European Union.

Babis has taken a tougher stance toward Brussels, declaring his defense of national interests and arguing that the EU should focus on more substantive issues rather than simply providing aid to Ukraine.

Speaking at his appointment, he said he "would propose that the EU should also address other issues, not just aid to Ukraine, but also issues of energy, value-added tax and tariff leaks."

He has pledged to oppose EU migration policies and plans to expand carbon emissions payments. On Ukraine, the new Czech government is expected to sharply cut military aid from the national budget and may end a Czech-run ammunition procurement initiative, a project Mr Babis has criticised as “non-transparent and overpriced”.

In his new role, Andrej Babis will attend the EU Summit on December 18-19. This is not just a regular meeting, but also the first important test of the Czech Republic's new foreign policy and Babis's ability to navigate the country on the complex international stage.

Source: https://congluan.vn/ty-phu-babis-tro-thanh-thu-tuong-sec-giam-cam-ket-vien-tro-ukraine-10322010.html