The Czech Republic is evaluating the possibility of creating a Ukrainian Legion, modeled after a similar project in Poland, to support Ukraine’s defense efforts. The Czech Ministry of Defense is currently examining the Polish project from both practical and legal standpoints to determine the feasibility.
Under the proposed plan, Ukrainian men residing in the Czech Republic would receive voluntary military training abroad, serve in the Ukrainian Defense Forces, and subsequently return to Ukraine. This approach mirrors the Polish initiative, which recently established a volunteer military unit comprising Ukrainian nationals living in Poland, trained by the Polish Armed Forces.
David Polak, a spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Defense, stated, “The Czech Defense Ministry is gathering information from the Polish side about the creation of the so-called Ukrainian Legion. Once we have the necessary information, we will consider our involvement.” The Czech government is exploring whether to establish a similar unit within its territory or to contribute to the efforts in Poland.
Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová expressed support for the plan, noting that it could provide an opportunity for Ukrainian men in the Czech Republic to contribute to their country’s defense without the uncertainty of returning to Ukraine immediately. “A lot of Ukrainian citizens want to help their country, but they don’t want to return to Ukraine because they don’t know what to expect,” Černochová said in an interview with CT24.
According to the Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs, there are over 100,000 Ukrainian men aged 18 to 65 living in the Czech Republic. Participation in the training programs would be entirely voluntary. Interior Minister Vít Rakušan has ruled out any possibility of forcibly returning Ukrainian men to Ukraine.
The consideration of this initiative follows a security agreement signed between Ukraine and Poland in July, which encourages Ukrainians to return home and serve in the Ukrainian Defense Forces. As part of this agreement, the Polish government proposed the creation of a Ukrainian Legion, where Ukrainian volunteers would be trained in NATO countries and then deployed to combat Russian forces in Ukraine.
Czechia has already trained over 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers on its territory in 2023, demonstrating its commitment to supporting Ukraine. There are approximately 570,000 Ukrainians residing in Czechia, including about 380,000 living under temporary protection as refugees.
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