Czech Republic says the issue of transferring L-159 aircraft to Ukraine is closed

Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army Miroslav Hlaváč said that the possible transfer of L-159 combat aircraft to Ukraine is currently closed. According to him, the Czech government has already made a decision, and the needs of the Ukrainian army may have changed in recent months.

Hlaváč said this in an interview with the Czech news agency ČTK, published on October 15.

"The government has made a decision, and for me this issue is closed at the moment," — the Chief of the General Staff said, commenting on the prospects for L-159 deliveries to Ukraine.

The discussion about the transfer of aircraft began in early 2026, when Czech President Petr Pavel, during a visit to Kyiv, allowed the possibility of providing Ukraine with several L-159s to combat Russian drones.

However, the ruling coalition, which includes ANO, SPD and "Motorists" movements, opposed such an initiative. Government representatives explained the refusal by saying that the aircraft are needed to ensure the Czech Republic's own defense capability.

Former Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka previously stated that the Czech army could transfer up to four L-159s to Ukraine without harming the country's security.

Hlaváč noted that the Ukrainian military is constantly looking for new technological solutions to counter Russian attacks. Therefore, the needs that several months ago were supposed to be met with Czech aircraft may have already changed.

"The capabilities for which they needed L-159 aircraft a few months ago may have already been obtained through other technologies," the general explained.

For this reason, he doubted the advisability of resuming negotiations on the transfer of aircraft.

At the same time, the head of the Czech General Staff mentioned another model — L-39 Skyfox, regarding which, according to him, various proposals are appearing. However, a decision on possible deliveries should depend on Ukraine's current needs and the extent to which such aircraft are necessary to strengthen air defense.

Despite the refusal to transfer L-159s, military cooperation between the Czech Republic and Ukraine continues. Hlaváč emphasized that the armies of the two states exchange combat experience almost continuously at various professional levels.

He also reported that he has already communicated with the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine via video link. According to the general, the heads of general staffs determine common areas of cooperation, while subject-matter experts organize the direct exchange of information.

Hlaváč was supposed to visit Ukraine in September 2026 to participate in an international security conference in Kyiv. However, according to Czech media reports, the Ministry of Defense did not approve the trip.

When asked about the possibility of a future visit to Ukraine, the general replied that he does not rule out such a step, but did not name any concrete plans yet.

Thus, the Czech military leadership does not consider the transfer of L-159s a current issue after the government's decision. Further cooperation with Ukraine, including discussion of other aviation platforms, remains possible.

Based on materials from: ČTK / České noviny.