We are pleased to present the 17th issue of John Lukacs Analyses in Strategic and Defense Studies titled ‘The Changing European Security Architecture – The Czech View’
· The Russian invasion of Ukraine has compelled Europe, including the Czech Republic, to reorient its security and defence posture towards the demands of high-intensity conflict. Since 2022, Prague has adopted new strategic documents, increased defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP, launched substantial procurement programmes, and assumed a leadership role in allied support for Ukraine, most notably through the international ammunition initiative.
· Nonetheless, Czech defence policy continues to grapple with significant challenges: political polarisation over military investments, limited public support for higher defence expenditure, persistent recruitment difficulties, and enduring infrastructure and interoperability shortfalls. NATO’s recent commitment to raise spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 amplifies these pressures, requiring structural reform and more extensive societal engagement.
· The Czech case highlights both the potential and the vulnerability of small states within European security: capable of exercising leadership through targeted initiatives, yet constrained by domestic political, social, and fiscal factors that threaten to erode long-term strategic ambition.
Author: Zdenek Rod
You can read the full paper on the John Lukacs Institute website.