Czech parliament approves treaty making it easier to deploy US troops on Czech territory
The Czech Parliament has approved a defense treaty with the United States
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The Czech Parliament gave its expected approval Wednesday to a defense treaty signed with the United States in May that would deepen military cooperation and make it easier to deploy U.S. troops on Czech territory.
The lower house of Parliament voted 115-18 in favor of the Defense Cooperation Agreement. The treaty, endorsed by the Czech Senate last week, goes next to President Petr Pavel for his expected approval.
The document would set a legal framework for possible deployment of U.S. troops in the country at a time of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
“We can’t do without a strong alliance with other democratic countries in this situation,” Czech Defense Minister Cernochova told lawmakers in the lower house. She said ”the deal is absolutely in our national interest."
Cernochova signed the treaty together with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Washington D.C. on May 23. The U.S. has such agreements with 24 other NATO members, including Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria that form the eastern flank of the alliance.
The lawmakers of the five-party ruling coalition were joined by most of their colleagues from the opposition ANO (YES) movement led by former populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis in supporting the treaty.
It was opposed by the major anti-migrant populist Freedom and Direct Democracy party, which claims the pact compromises the country’s sovereignty and makes possible a permanent presence of U.S. troops on Czech territory.
But any particular deployment of U.S. forces will still need approval by the Czech government and Parliament.