Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky arrived in Kyiv for meetings with his Ukrainian counterpart Andriy Sybiha and Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka, according to the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs press service.

The ministers visited the memorial on Independence Square, where Sybiha presented Lipavsky with a medal for supporting Ukrainian diplomacy. “For me it is an honor to receive a medal for supporting Ukrainian diplomacy,” the Czech minister said.

During their press conference in Kyiv, both foreign ministers outlined concrete military and political support measures. Lipavsky said that Czech Republic delivered 1.5 million large-caliber ammunition rounds last year through the Czech ammunition initiative.

The Czech ammunition initiative reportedly helped change the Russian advantage from 10 to 1 to 2 to 1. This is a five-fold increase in real potential.

Ukraine expects to receive approximately 1.8 million artillery shells by year’s end through this Czech initiative, Sybiha said. 

During Lipavsky’s meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Kachka, they discussed Ukraine’s EU membership prospects.

“Our position is clear — Ukraine should be in Europe, and Czech Republic supports its membership as it meets standard conditions,”  Lipavsky wrote on X.

Economic cooperation between the two countries continues expanding despite the war, Lipavsky said. Trade growth increased 21.4% last year, and “I think this trend is growing more and more,” he added.

The ministers also signed a contract for the “School of Superheroes” project initiated by Prague. “This money will help children with severe forms of disabilities and diseases by expanding school opportunities in the region. We also plan to work more in eastern Ukraine and in the most dangerous regions, because we should not be afraid of Putin, and these regions also need our presence,” Lipavsky explained.

The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the symbolic significance of the memorial visit: “The bloody events on the Maidan in 2013 and 2014 took more than a hundred lives. We must remember their fate, as Ukrainians are again dying for their freedom. The foreign ministers of Czech Republic and Ukraine honored their memory on Independence Square — a historical memory.”

Amid the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war, Czech aid to Ukraine is set to grow after new commitments from Prague that include fresh military packages and a firm response to Russia’s attempt to intimidate Czech leaders. The plans were announced following meetings between Denys Shmyhal and Czech officials, as Moscow placed the Czech foreign minister on its so-called “Russophobe” list.

Czech aid to Ukraine focuses on anti-air and ammunition

On 30 July, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Tomáš Pojar, an adviser to the Czech prime minister, to discuss urgent needs for Ukraine’s armed forces. Shmyhal said their talks centered on air defense, electronic warfare and long-range capabilities. He explained that particular focus was on ammunition supply, as the Czech initiative to secure artillery shells of key calibers has become an important source for Ukraine.

According to Shmyhal, the discussions covered specific schedules and plans for supplies for the rest of this year and 2026. They also reviewed cooperation between defense industries. He said that joint enterprises are already working and some projects are underway. These include the production of shells and Bren 2 rifles in Ukraine.

The Czech delegation and Ukrainian officials also analyzed possibilities for new projects in Czechia that would involve leading Ukrainian companies. These projects are intended to support Ukraine’s defense forces in the face of Russia’s ongoing war.

Moscow’s blacklist sparks Czech response

Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský responded after the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs added him to a published list of so-called “Russophobic” politicians.

In his comments to ČTK, Lipavský said he does not use hate speech against Russia but stands firmly against the imperial policies of Vladimir Putin. He added that his criticism targets Putin, his ideology, the Kremlin’s aggression against Ukraine, and sabotage acts even in Czechia.

Lipavský emphasized that his stance on Putin’s aggression would not change and that his plans for a future holiday in Crimea remain unaffected. He repeated that “Crimea is Ukraine” and that the Kremlin’s ban on his entry to Russia has no effect on him. This hints on the future liberation of the Crimean Peninsula, occupied by the Russians since 2014.