US NATO envoy presses Czech Republic on defense spending shortfall

The United States ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, renewed criticism of the Czech Republic's defense spending on Friday, telling a security conference in Prague that the country has not moved fast enough toward its alliance commitments.

"It is disappointing to see that it has not made more progress towards meeting the Hague Defense Commitment," Whitaker said, adding that the Czech Republic is "trending towards the bottom of the alliance when it comes to defense spending."

Whitaker, who met with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš the same day, said he had delivered the message in person to Czech officials. He acknowledged "small successes" but said more work is needed.

Lawmakers aligned with Babiš's government approved a budget in March that sets defense spending below 1.8% of gross domestic product for this year. The move came despite calls from President Petr Pavel, a retired army general, to raise the defense budget to meet NATO's target.

At the time, Whitaker warned on X that all allies must "pull their weight" and honor the Hague Defense Commitment, describing the 5% standard as necessary. "No excuses, no opt-outs," he wrote.

Responding on Friday, Babiš said defense spending would reach 2% of GDP next year.

NATO members agreed in 2014 to spend at least 2% of GDP on defense, and the alliance expected all members, including the Czech Republic, to meet that target last year. At a summit in The Hague last year, members agreed under pressure from the Trump administration to invest 3.5% of GDP on core defense requirements and an additional 1.5% on defense and security-related spending by 2035.

Babiš returned to power after his ANO movement won a decisive victory in an October election. It formed a governing coalition with two small political groups whose agenda includes reducing support for Ukraine and rejecting some key European Union policies.

The Freedom and Direct Democracy party, which is anti-immigrant and a member of the coalition, wants to cut the defense budget for next year. Finance Minister Alena Schillerová recently said she currently considers a 5% target to be "unrealistic."

Whitaker said the United States remains committed to NATO and to defending every inch of allied territory. "But we expect our allies to step up and join us and equalize with the United States," he said.