The Czech government has decided not to sell L-159 light combat aircraft to Ukraine, according to Tomio Okamura, leader of the far-right SPD party.

The decision follows a briefing by the defence minister, who told the cabinet that the Czech army would need to retain the jets.

Okamura criticised Ukraine’s proposal to purchase the aircraft, which President Petr Pavel publicly supported last weekend. Former prime minister Andrej Babiš said on Monday that no final decision had been taken, but confirmed that the defence ministry had advised against the sale.

Okamura argued that replacing the L-159s would cost Prague more than it would earn from selling the domestically produced aircraft to Ukraine.

President Pavel has defended the proposal, saying Ukraine’s interest represents an opportunity for the Czech defence industry. During a visit to Ukraine last week, he said selling four of the Czech military’s 24 L-159 jets would not weaken the country’s defence capabilities.

The disagreement highlights a broader foreign policy divide between the Ukraine-friendly president, a former NATO general, and the new populist-led government, which has been more critical of EU policies on military support for Kyiv.

Shortly after taking office, Babiš was urged by Pavel to pursue a “constructive” approach toward NATO and Ukraine. While Babiš continues to campaign against domestic austerity measures, he has softened his stance on Ukraine in recent months, backing continued ammunition supplies and adopting a more pragmatic tone with EU partners.

Senior government officials, including Foreign Minister Petr Macinka, have criticised Pavel for publicly raising the prospect of the aircraft sale, arguing that such decisions fall outside the president’s authority.

Pavel responded by saying Ukraine has been seeking to acquire the jets for more than six months and that he was continuing earlier negotiations.

“I’m afraid that with this decision, we are moving closer to selfishness rather than solidarity,” Pavel said, commenting on the refusal to sell aircraft to a country facing Russia’s invasion.

The L-159 is a subsonic attack and training aircraft manufactured by Czech aerospace company Aero Vodochody.

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