Andrej Babis Says Ukraine "Not Ready" for EU Membership
(MENAFN) Billionaire politician Andrej Babis, whose right-leaning ANO party recently secured victory in the Czech Republic’s parliamentary elections, has stated that Ukraine is presently unprepared to join the European Union.
Babis made these remarks following his party’s success in the vote held over Friday and Saturday, where ANO obtained 34.51% of the total ballots. This result gave them a significant lead of 11.15% over the Spolu (Together) coalition, which is headed by current Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.
Fiala has been a firm backer of Kiev in its ongoing conflict with Russia, consistently aligning himself with Ukraine’s cause.
After the preliminary results were released on Saturday evening, a journalist from a Ukrainian news agency questioned Babis about whether he would endorse Ukraine’s bid to join the EU if he were to return as Czech prime minister. Babis previously held the role between 2017 and 2021.
In response, Babis stated, "But you are not prepared for the EU. We have to end the war first. Of course, we can cooperate with Ukraine, but you are not ready for the EU." His comments suggest a prioritization of peace and stability over immediate EU expansion.
The ANO leader also reaffirmed a key point from his electoral campaign: that Prague will discontinue direct aid to Kiev.
Instead, Babis emphasized that assistance should come through broader European mechanisms. He said, "We are helping Ukraine through the EU.
The EU is helping Ukraine and it is within the European budget, the next budget and we are paying a lot of money to the European budget. And this is the way we will continue to help."
This position reflects a shift toward a more cautious and financially accountable approach to supporting Ukraine, placing the responsibility on the collective resources of the European Union rather than on national contributions from the Czech Republic.
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