The Czech Republic takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU today, at a difficult moment for Europe, when all eyes are fixed on Ukraine.

This presidency, which the Czech Republic is inheriting from France and will hand over to Sweden, "doesn't come at a good time, but at a bad time," warns Pavel Havlicek of the Prague-based International Relations Association.

Talks between the Czech government and EU commissioners will take place today at the castle in Litomyšl, followed by a concert.

The Czech Republic has 10.5 million inhabitants and joined the EU in 2004.

Prague has pledged to make aid to Ukraine, from helping refugees to rebuilding the war-torn country, a top priority of its presidency, but also to emphasize European energy security.

The Czech Republic, a staunch supporter of EU sanctions against Russia, has taken in nearly 400,000 Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the conflict in February 2022 and has provided financial and military aid to Kyiv, BTA explains.

Sanctions

Right-wing Czech Prime Minister Petar Fiala, a former political analyst who has co-authored a book on the EU, announced recently that he would try to arrange a summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Volodymyr Zelensky is a Ukrainian artist, screenwriter, producer and politician. Volodymyr (sometimes.

The countries of the Western Balkans - whose EU bid, backed by Prague and other Eastern European countries, is deadlocked - will also take part in this event.

But this summit, which would offer a "Marshall Plan" to Ukraine, will only take place if the war is over.

The director of New York University in Prague Jiri Pehe considers this project unrealistic.

"This conflict will not be over at all before the end of the Czech presidency," he told AFP.

"The Czechs will simply try to organize a high-level meeting on Ukraine" and "try to convince others to continue supporting this country."

Euroscepticism

According to Pehe, the Czechs are not in a good position to debate economic recovery or energy security because, facing high inflation, the country has not yet joined the eurozone and is dependent on nuclear power, rejected by some EU member states, including Germany .

"She can hardly offer leadership" in these areas, criticized Pehe.

The Czechs are traditionally Eurosceptic, and a survey conducted in March by the STEM agency shows that only 36% of them are satisfied with the EU.

Fiala's government is not as Eurosceptic as some of its predecessors.

But analysts question his ability to distance himself from Budapest and Warsaw, with which he maintains close ties in the Visegrad Group, which also includes Slovakia.

Hungary and Poland have fallen out of favor with Brussels because of their stances on the rule of law.

European Council Vice-President Vera Jourova, who is from the Czech Republic, recently called on the government during its presidency to adopt a clear position on Poland and Hungary.

"I don't see how the Czech Republic could take a more critical view" of them, Pehe said, however.

Volodymyr Zelensky