Czech Republic ready to increase military budget

By Alimat Aliyeva

Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced after a government meeting that the Czech Republic is prepared to raise its defense spending to 5% of GDP, aligning with new NATO goals discussed at the alliance's summit in The Hague.

According to Fiala, the Czech delegation's mandate — approved by the government ahead of the summit — already included the option of agreeing to such an increase. He recalled that in March 2024, the Czech government had committed to a gradual rise in defense spending, targeting 3% of GDP by 2030, with annual increments of 0.2 percentage points.

“If we extrapolate this pace into the following years, reaching 3.5% by 2032 or 2035 would not be difficult, depending on how the targets are defined,” Fiala added.

According to Reuters, NATO allies have now agreed at the Hague summit to commit to defense spending of 5% of GDP by 2035, a dramatic increase from the long-standing 2% benchmark. Progress toward this goal will be reviewed in 2029. The declaration also reaffirmed the alliance’s commitment to collective defense under Article 5 of the NATO Charter — the principle that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

The new 5% target reflects growing security concerns in Europe, particularly due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and rising tensions with Russia. It also signals NATO’s strategic pivot toward greater military readiness in response to hybrid threats, cyberattacks, and the modernization of rival militaries, especially China and Russia.

If implemented, the 5% spending target would mark a historic shift in European defense policy, especially for countries like the Czech Republic, which for decades maintained modest military budgets. Achieving this level would likely involve significant investment in defense infrastructure, procurement of advanced weapons systems, cybersecurity capabilities, and potentially the revival of conscription or reserve forces.

Analysts note that this commitment could also serve as a boost for local defense industries across NATO countries, including Czech arms manufacturers like CZUB (?eská zbrojovka) and Excalibur Army, which have seen increased demand since 2022.

Fiala’s statement suggests that Prague is positioning itself not only as a loyal NATO member but as a proactive player in the alliance’s strategic future — a noteworthy shift for a country that only joined NATO in 1999.