Czech government rules out higher defense spending despite US pressure

The Czech government will not increase defense spending beyond the planned 155 billion Czech koruna ($7 billion) for 2026 -- about 1.73% of gross domestic product -- despite growing pressure from the United States to boost military outlays, Radio Prague International reported Sunday, citing Czech Television.

Leaders of all three coalition parties confirmed the decision ahead of a final vote on the 2026 state budget scheduled for next Wednesday in the Czech parliament.

The United States has urged Prague to raise its defense budget to meet NATO commitments.

At a security conference Thursday, US Ambassador to the Czech Republic Nicholas Merrick warned that the planned spending level would fall short of the country's commitments made at last year's NATO summit in The Hague and even below the alliance's benchmark of 2% of GDP pledged at the 2014 NATO summit in Cardiff.

Despite the criticism, the government of Prime Minister Andrej Babis says it does not have the funds to increase defense spending, arguing that other budget priorities must be met.