The new Czech government is working on changes to the rules on temporary protection and social support for Ukrainian citizens: assistance will focus on those who are objectively unable to support themselves (the elderly, people with disabilities, parents with young children), while payments for those who are able to work but are unemployed may be reduced or cancelled, according to Czech media reports. The Ukrainian publication ZN.ua, citing Novinky.cz, reports that the government is also preparing to adjust the conditions for temporary protection status. The specific parameters of the reform have not yet been made public.
According to Novinky.cz and previous EU decisions, temporary protection for Ukrainians in the Czech Republic will remain in effect until at least March 2027. In previous years, the government has already adjusted humanitarian payments (through Lex Ukrajina) and announced a transition to a more ‘activating’ model of support that encourages employment.
In June, the European Union agreed to extend the temporary protection mechanism until March 2027; Czech ministers had previously confirmed their commitment to longer-term protection with gradually increasing integration requirements (work, education, housing). Against the backdrop of these changes, the government is preparing further technical amendments to the national package of laws known as Lex Ukrajina.
After the publication of the government draft (expected in autumn-winter), the document must undergo interdepartmental approval and parliament. Details of the amounts and criteria for payments will be known from the text of the draft law and accompanying methodological materials from the Ministry of Labour.
Under temporary protection: there are currently approximately 395-400 thousand people in the Czech Republic (current estimates by the Czech media based on data from the Ministry of the Interior; in February 2025, the UNHCR recorded about 390 thousand).
The total number of Ukrainian citizens with various types of residence (officially registered foreigners) is approximately 560-581 thousand (data from the Czech Ministry of the Interior for Q1-Q2 2025). Informal/incomplete records may vary due to seasonal migration and repeated departures and arrivals; the total estimate in public sources is approximately 600 thousand.
On Monday, November 3, ANO party leader and likely future Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš signed a coalition agreement with the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) party and the Motorists for Themselves political force, Radio Prague International reports, citing European Truth.
After four weeks of negotiations, the parties agreed on the main program goals of the future government, as well as the distribution of ministerial portfolios among the parties.
“The agreement defines political priorities, the number of ministers, and the principles of government personnel formation,” ANO representatives said.
The next step will be to submit proposals for the composition of the government, followed by a vote in parliament.
Tomio Okamura, leader of the SPD, who was nominated jointly by the SPD, ANO, and Motorists, is expected to become speaker of the Chamber of Deputies.
During the election campaign, Okamura repeatedly made anti-Ukrainian statements, in particular regarding the restriction of the rights of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic.
After the election of the speaker of parliament, the current government must resign, which will pave the way for the formation of a new cabinet headed by Babiš.
On October 27, Czech President Petr Pavel officially tasked Andrej Babiš with forming a government after the ANO party won the parliamentary elections on October 3–4, 2025.
ANO received the most votes among all political forces, ahead of the Together coalition and the Social Democrats.
According to preliminary data, Babiš’s cabinet will consist of 15 ministers, half of whom will be appointed by ANO, five by the SPD, and two by the Motorists party.
Andrej Babiš already headed the Czech government in 2017–2021. His ANO party positions itself as “centrist” and advocates strong state support for business. The SPD is known for its Eurosceptic and anti-immigration positions, while the Motorists for Themselves party advocates for the liberalization of traffic rules and lower taxes for the transport sector.
ANO, Babiš, CZECH REPUBLIC, ELECTIONS, GOVERNMENT, PARLIAMENT, SPD, Томіо Окамура
In the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš and his ANO party won the parliamentary elections on October 3–4, 2025, receiving about 34.7% of the vote. Petr Fiala’s party, which previously led the Spolu coalition, came in second with ~23.4% of the vote. The election results were analyzed by the Experts Club information and analytical center.
Babiš faces a difficult task in forming a coalition: his party did not win a single-party majority, and cooperation with right-wing and populist parties — the SPD (Freedom and Direct Democracy) and the Motorists movement — is being considered.
Babiš has promised to increase social benefits, reduce taxes, and focus more attention on intra-European issues. He has repeatedly criticized substantial military and material assistance to Ukraine and promised to review the Czech Republic’s participation in the initiative to supply ammunition to Kyiv. At the same time, Babiš is trying to position himself as a pro-European politician, although his rhetoric often aligns with nationalist and Eurosceptic forces.
Several possible consequences for Ukraine can be identified from the results of the Czech elections:
1. Reduction of preferential support and military aid. The new government may seek to reduce the Czech Republic’s contribution to collective assistance to Ukraine or review its financial commitments, especially regarding the ammunition supply program. Babiš has already stated that he intends to “reduce support.”
2. A change in diplomatic tone. The Czech Republic may shift the focus of its foreign policy away from confrontation with Russia, especially if the government seeks more pragmatic relations within the EU and Central Europe.
3. Increased influence of right-wing and populist movements in the region. Babiš’s victory could stimulate the growth of nationalist and Eurosceptic parties in neighbouring countries and increase tensions over Kyiv’s policies in Central Europe. The Czech Republic may join the camp of countries that criticise sanctions or delay common European decisions.
4. Risks for Ukraine’s integration. The Czech Republic’s change of course could affect support for Ukraine within the EU, influence “stabilization funds,” and lobbying for European support at the pan-European level.
The current changes in the Czech Republic are a key indicator of how quickly the political landscape of Central Europe is changing. It is important for Ukraine to monitor the format of the coalition that will be formed and the foreign policy program of the new Czech cabinet.
Earlier, the Experts Club information and analytical center called the elections in the Czech Republic one of the most important in the world in 2025. A video about elections around the world is available on YouTube:
In terms of total trade volume, Ukraine cooperates most closely with China, Poland, and Germany. These countries form the basis of the state’s foreign economic relations, exerting a critical influence on imports and exports.
China remains the leader with a total trade volume of $8.99 billion. Poland ranks second with $6.04 billion, while Germany and Turkey are almost equal with $4.28 billion and $4.25 billion, respectively. The United States ranks fifth with $2.86 billion.
The top 10 also includes Italy ($2.38 billion), the Czech Republic ($1.64 billion), Bulgaria ($1.54 billion), Hungary ($1.53 billion), and Romania ($1.50 billion).
“The top ten partners form the basis of Ukraine’s foreign trade balance. China and the EU countries account for the largest volumes of trade, but it is important to take into account the significant negative balance in relations with these countries,” said Maksim Urakin, founder of Experts Club and economist.
He added that although the large volume of trade indicates Ukraine’s integration into global supply chains, dependence on imports from China and Europe creates strategic risks.
“Poland and Germany are key hubs for Ukrainian exports, but at the same time they are significant sources of imports. Therefore, it is critically important to balance trade flows, preserving positive sectors such as agriculture and metallurgy, and reducing dependence on critical imports,” Urakin noted.
BULGARIA, CHINA, CZECH REPUBLIC, ECONOMY, EXPERTS CLUB, FOREIGN TRADE, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY, POLAND, ROMANIA, TURKEY, UKRAINE, USA, МАКСИМ УРАКИН
On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accepted the credentials of the newly appointed ambassadors of the Czech Republic, Norway, and Germany.
“I accepted the credentials and spoke with the newly appointed ambassadors of the Czech Republic, Norway, and Germany,” he wrote on Telegram.
The president also congratulated them on the start of their diplomatic missions and thanked them for their countries’ support of Ukraine.
They also discussed strengthening cooperation, particularly in the security and defense sector.
“Together, we are adding to the security and stability of the whole of Europe and moving towards a reliable and guaranteed peace in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy concluded.
Ukrainians have a mostly positive attitude toward the Czech Republic, which is an important partner in the European Union and one of the main destinations for labor migration. This is evidenced by the results of a survey conducted by Active Group in cooperation with the Experts Club.
According to the survey, 62% of Ukrainians expressed a positive attitude towards the Czech Republic (40.7% – mostly positive and 21.3% – completely positive). Neutral attitudes were expressed by 33% of respondents, while negative opinions accounted for only 3.3%. Another 2% of respondents admitted that they did not have sufficient information about the country.
Thus, the Czech Republic is among the countries that have a consistently high level of positive perception among Ukrainians, on par with other Central European countries.
According to the State Customs Service of Ukraine, in 2024, trade between Ukraine and the Czech Republic reached USD 1.64 billion. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE. At the same time, Ukrainian exports amounted to USD 478.7 million, and imports from the Czech Republic amounted to USD 1.16 billion. The negative balance amounted to $683.5 million.
Ukraine’s exports to the Czech Republic are mainly ferrous metals, machinery, and agricultural products. Imports from the Czech Republic consist mainly of automotive machinery, equipment, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
“The positive attitude of Ukrainians toward the Czech Republic is explained not only by historical proximity but also by Prague’s active support for Ukraine. At the same time, economic relations between the two countries are characterized by a significant imbalance – imports from the Czech Republic significantly exceed exports. This creates prospects for the development of new areas of cooperation, especially in the fields of high technology, investment projects, and energy,” emphasized Maksym Urakin, founder of Experts Club, economist.
The full video can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgC9TPnMoMI&t
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ACTIVE GROUP, CZECH REPUBLIC, DIPLOMACY, EXPERTS CLUB, Pozný, SOCIOLOGY, TRADE, URAKIN
