The Czech Prime Minister has met with representatives of NATO and the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), as reported by Deník N in the final week of September. Domestic intelligence officials also attended the meeting, briefing the Prime Minister on potential security risks linked to the activities of the Russian Federation. Other European nations, however, are also acutely aware of the importance of their own security.
Reports of an escalation in Russian hybrid operations have multiplied over the past month. European intelligence chiefs have issued warnings about when and to what extent the Russians will test the cohesion of the military alliance—above all, Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which obliges NATO members to come to the aid of an attacked ally. Hybrid operations carried out by a "foreign power" across the continent are also on the rise, ranging from drones breaching Baltic airspace to the August incident at Leipzig airport, where drones threatened transport aircraft laden with ammunition. Within Central Europe, however, responses to intelligence warnings vary markedly.
The German government, for instance, has introduced a landmark reform of the Federal Intelligence Service's (BND) remit. The changes, set to take effect in 2027, permit not only intelligence gathering and espionage, but also more aggressive cyber operations. Merz's cabinet intends to boost the BND's operational budget by a quarter.
Poland faces Russian provocations on a near-weekly basis as it bolsters defences along its north-eastern border with the Kaliningrad exclave and Belarus. Combat engineers from the Bundeswehr are now also taking part in the construction of the "Eastern Shield". Defence expenditure in the Polish state budget stands at approximately €46 billion, and national defence capabilities are set to be reinforced by an agreement hosting a US military base with a capacity of 10,000 troops. Following a year of US troop drawdowns in Europe, this marks an unexpected pivot by the Trump administration.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has taken a somewhat contradictory path, remarking in recent statements that he would prefer Slovakia to become a neutral state. At the same time, he was forced to row back on an earlier remark in which he questioned the alliance’s principle of collective defence. Fico’s close ally, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, has nevertheless been gradually reassessing his own stance on NATO and military investment—or so it would appear.
The Prime Minister's meeting comes amid renewed criticism over sluggish defence spending. Most recently, he faced rebuke from the US ambassador to NATO, who voiced disappointment at the Czech Republic’s defence allocations. Shortly after the meeting, Babiš declared that the government would honour its commitments and respect Article 5.
Is this merely a rhetorical exercise, or a genuine shift in attitude? The current government is prioritising other areas, and the Ministry of Defence has once again become a prime target for spending cuts. Even now, ahead of the first reading in the Chamber of Deputies, it is evident that budget cuts are unavoidable. This is driven partly by pressure from the pro-Russian SPD, which openly echoes Russian propaganda narratives, and partly by the insistence of ANO ministers. Andrej Babiš’s statements thus appear to be little more than hypocritical platitudes, tailored for a predicament he would much rather avoid facing as prime minister.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has spoken of the possibility of reopening the question of a campaign to rejoin the EU. He made these remarks at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. In his address, he further stated that he would like to set out a new path for UK–EU relations and develop this theme ahead of the next general election in 2029.
The opening members’ meeting of the 2026/2027 academic year is behind us, and we already can’t wait for the new semester to get fully underway.
