Czechia Needs Them: Will Not Sell Local L-159 Aircraft to Ukraine

Czechia will not sell its locally produced L-159 aircraft to Ukraine, as the Czech army requires them, announced Prime Minister Andrej Babiš during a press conference on Monday.

“We invited Defense Minister Jaromir Zuna to a meeting with the leaders of the ruling coalition. He told us that the army needs these aircraft because their service life expires in 2040. There are no aircraft idle in hangars; all of them are operational. Therefore, we need them,” said the Prime Minister, adding that the previous leadership of the Ministry of Defense made a similar decision in 2023.

On Sunday, Czech President Petr Pavel stated during a press conference that during his negotiations in Kyiv last week, the Ukrainian side assessed the L-159 aircraft as highly suitable for countering fast-moving and large drones. According to Pavel, these aircraft have been under negotiation for at least six months. There were discussions about leasing them to Ukraine and then donating them. However, so far, neither side has accepted these options. Pavel disclosed that Volodymyr Zelensky proposed to purchase the L-159 aircraft for Ukraine.