On Friday, Czech President Petr Pavel signed the 2026 national budget but expressed concern over its inadequacy in fulfilling NATO obligations. The current government, led by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, made amendments to the proposed budget inherited from the previous administration. The allocated defense budget of 155 billion crowns (approximately 6.3 billion euros) represents 1.73% of the planned GDP for 2026, falling short of NATO's requirement of at least 2%.

Previously, the Czech government had pledged to increase defense spending to 3% by 2030, but the current budget does not reflect this commitment. Furthermore, under the Trump administration, the U.S. had urged NATO member states to boost their defense budgets to 5% of GDP, a goal that allied nations had discussed during last year's summit in The Hague. President Pavel criticized the stagnation of the defense budget in light of rising security threats, emphasizing that it does not align with the commitments made to NATO allies.

Despite these concerns, Pavel signed the budget to avoid any immediate disruptions in government financing and operations. The decision underscores a tension in balancing national budgetary constraints with international security commitments, a dilemma faced by many NATO member states as they navigate their financial priorities alongside geopolitical realities.