On the morning of January 9, Czech Foreign Minister Petr Mačínka arrived in Kyiv. This is his first official visit to Ukraine since the formation of Andrej Babiš’s government at the end of last year.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Mačínka’s Visit Took Place Amidst Russian Missile Attack
Petr Mačínka, along with a Czech delegation, traveled to Kyiv by train from the western border of Ukraine on the night when Russia carried out a massive missile strike on the territory of the state. Specifically, during this attack, the Russian Federation used a medium-range ballistic missile from the “Orėšnik” system. According to media reports, at the moment when the “Orėšnik” struck the Lviv region, the train with the Czech delegation was approximately an hour’s travel from Lviv.
“It is necessary to stop killing, attacking, shooting, and so on,” stated the head of the Czech Foreign Ministry, commenting on the Russian strikes after arriving in Kyiv.
The diplomat also emphasized that during peace negotiations, there is often a temporary escalation of the conflict when parties try to save face. Mačínka noted that he does not trust the official version from Russia regarding an alleged Ukrainian strike on Vladimir Putin’s residence, which the Russian Ministry of Defense cited as a reason for using the “Orėšnik” missile.
Political Context and Changes in Ukraine-Czech Relations
Mačínka’s visit occurred after a diplomatic scandal that arose from statements made by the head of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament, Tomio Okamura. In his New Year’s address, he referred to the Ukrainian authorities as “Zelensky’s junta” and opposed supplying weapons to Ukraine. These words provoked a sharp reaction from the Ukrainian ambassador to the Czech Republic and the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Recently, the foreign ministers of the Czech Republic and Ukraine held a phone conversation, after which both sides announced the resolution of the conflict. Mačínka confirmed his intention to visit Kyiv.
Petr Mačínka leads the right-populist party “Motorists.” During the visit, he is accompanied by one of the leaders of this party, Filip Turek, who previously sought the position of Foreign Minister but did not obtain it due to a scandal caused by his racist remarks on social media. The President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, is currently refusing to appoint Turek even to the position of Minister of the Environment. Turek has also criticized Ukraine in the past.
After the change of government, the rhetoric of the Czech Republic regarding Ukraine has become more restrained. Prague has stated that assistance to Ukraine is no longer its priority. At the same time, Prime Minister Andrej Babiš assured that the Czech Republic will continue to coordinate the international initiative for the procurement of ammunition for Ukraine.
