Yesterday, the regular Commanders' Meeting of the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Army General Karel Řehka, took place. In addition to the Chief of the General Staff, the President of the Republic and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Petr Pavel and Minister of Defense Jana Černochová also spoke at the meeting. All three agreed that the army is under pressure from the deteriorating security situation and its own internal limitations, and at the same time called for courage, greater speed, and a proactive approach.

The army responds at a pace that no longer exists

At the beginning of his speech, Army General Karel Řehka reminded the audience that the official purpose of the meeting was to familiarize commanders with the army's main tasks and plans for 2026, which would be discussed in detail in a closed session. He then praised the efforts of our army's command to date: "We have done a tremendous amount of work. Many of you are working harder than is sustainable in the long term," said Řehka, who also pointed out that the whole organization is still responding at a pace that simply no longer exists. According to the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army, there is still a lack of a real sense of urgency in society as a whole. He also reminded everyone that the army's modernization efforts have a clear purpose – to create a force that is prepared for war precisely so that war never has to happen: "We are creating an army that makes sense for war. And we are doing this so that war never happens."

According to the Chief of the General Staff, the greatest immediate threat is Russia's current policy. In this context, Řehka recalled the recent sabotage attacks in Poland, drones over the territory of European allies, and the use of laser devices against aircraft and coast guards. "This is not me scaremongering, it is simply geopolitical reality. Russia is testing how far it can go and what we will allow it to do. All soldiers must be prepared for combat, have a clear operational task, and know why society pays them," the army general warned.

Strong words were also directed at the armed forces themselves – for example, when Řehka sharply criticized excessive bureaucracy, which takes time away from actual training. "Every moment we don't spend on activities that increase combat readiness is a waste of resources and a waste of time – and we still have too many of those moments," said the general, reminding those present that most soldiers did not join the army for paperwork, but for military craft. "We need to spend more time on the training ground and shooting range, and less time in various meetings, presentations, and training sessions. We need to train and live as we would fight in real life," emphasized Řehka.

The army general then devoted the main part of his speech to the command and control system, which he described as the basis for the functioning of the army. Řehka advocates a clear separation of strategic, operational, and tactical levels of command—rather than a peacetime scheme that does not correspond to the reality of high-intensity conflict. "We need the strategic level to actually create strategies, rather than just being operational, as is the case today. We need an operational level that translates this functional strategy into specific troop movements, and we need a tactical level that then carries out those tasks," summarized the Chief of the General Staff.

Řehka also mentioned the speed of introducing new technologies in his speech. According to him, experiences from Ukraine show how the battlefield is changing literally every month, while in Czechia, some documents take years to write. "We are planning drones for 2027, but by that time, today's drones will already be museum pieces. Products take so long to be developed that by the time they are created, they are no longer relevant. This is not a criticism of people, it is a problem with the process and the system," the general pointed out. He also noted that although the army and the Ministry of Defense are "working at full capacity," the system as a whole still operates according to the rules of deep peace. In this context, he mentioned extremely long construction proceedings, slow renovations, and complicated purchases.

The Chief of the General Staff then addressed the need for courage and initiative on the part of commanders. He admitted that initiative is sometimes punished or criminalized within the ministry, but assured that this does not happen at his level. "We are soldiers. We are paid for our courage, and not just on the battlefield. The army needs to experiment, quickly test technologies, and be able to grant exceptions when it makes sense," said the general.

Further criticism was directed at the relationship with the defense industry. Řehka emphasized that the army must have direct, transparent contact with industry without unnecessary intermediaries who only slow down the process. "Let's not be afraid to develop cooperation with industry according to clear rules. We need those who move things forward, not those who just stand by and watch," he said.

The general then reminded the commanders that communication is part of their profession: "Every commander is a communicator. People don't just follow orders, they are guided by them, and it affects their lives. And our army does not have an ideal system for teaching and supporting commanders in communication—we must change that."

Record recruitment, but weak reserves

The Chief of the General Staff devoted a significant part of his speech to the personnel. He said that the army was experiencing record recruitment and thanked those who were working on it. However, according to him, there is still a shortage of almost 7,000 soldiers and, above all, a sufficiently large and usable reserve. "It is perfectly legitimate to ask whether this model of the armed forces, which was created in a completely different world, corresponds to today's reality. I don't think so," the general said openly, noting that a new mobilization concept is ready for discussion in the government, but that the army must not passively wait for legislative changes: "We in the army can no longer wait. We must begin to prepare for things that we know will come sooner or later. Without real, usable reserves, the army is strong in peacetime but fragile in wartime."

According to Řehka, every soldier must have a clear operational task, the army must not tolerate "empty staffs" or structures without combat deployment, and brigade task forces must be built according to NATO standards and the current battlefield, not according to the customs of the 1980s.

At the end of his speech, the Chief of the General Staff summed up the main task for next year in three words: "The year 2026 can be summed up in these words: accelerate, simplify, and stop waiting. The task is easy to understand but very difficult to carry out." In this regard, by the end of January, Řehka will want each commander under his command to have a specific plan for how to accelerate and simplify processes in their area. "No empty phrases, just clear steps. We will not wait for ideal conditions—they will never come. But the enemy may come. And it is our job to prevent that from happening," concluded Army General Karel Řehka in his speech.

President Pavel: There is no urgency, the situation is worse than last time

In his speech, President Petr Pavel echoed Řehka's words and praised the Chief of the General Staff's speech as a "very accurate description of the situation" full of relevant arguments. He also pointed out that since the last commanders' meeting, the security situation had not improved but, on the contrary, had worsened. "I would very much like to be able to say today that the situation is better. Unfortunately, it is not better, but rather worse," the president said.

According to him, the conflict in Ukraine will soon enter its fourth year with no clear prospects for a just end. Possible scenarios of a ceasefire or "difficult compromise" will have fundamental security implications for the whole of Europe, according to Pavel, because they do not address the root causes of tension in security relations with Russia.

The president also emphasized that there is no need to convince the soldiers in the hall of the Russian threat, but that a large part of society still does not realize its seriousness. "There is a lack of urgency and perception of threats. This affects not only the willingness of citizens to support defense spending, but also the willingness of politicians to act," Petr Pavel pointed out, while calling on the soldiers present to come up with specific requirements for what needs to be changed to make the army modern, adaptable, well-equipped, trained, flexible, and fast. He also pointed out that many changes can be initiated by the soldiers themselves on the basis of internal documents, while others will require legislation – but their demands must be more specific. "No one else understands this issue as well as you do. It is up to you to present your requirements and suggestions clearly and quickly – and then it is up to us to help implement them," added President Pavel, wishing the soldiers strength for their future work.

Minister Černochová: four years of debt recovery and major modernization

In her speech, Defense Minister Jana Černochová looked back on her four years at the helm of the ministry. She recalled that at the first commanders' meeting, where she appeared as the new defense minister, there was no open invasion of Ukraine yet, although Russia was systematically building up its forces and already had part of Ukrainian territory under its control. "I am proud to say with confidence that we have really made full use of these four years to improve our defense capabilities," said the minister. According to her, crisis, personnel, acquisition, and legislative processes were launched, financing was stabilized, and large-scale investments in infrastructure began. "Our defense industry is rising from the ashes, so to speak, and society is also becoming more aware of the importance of the army," added Černochová, who also warned that without continuity and stability, there is a risk that the "well-oiled machine" will slow down again and defense will return to the bottom of the government's priorities.

The head of the defense ministry further emphasized that the defense of the state is a matter for every citizen, not just professional soldiers. According to her, the professionalization of the army twenty years ago created the harmful impression that a small professional army can handle everything on its own. "The army is part of society, and if society is not resilient and willing to defend itself and endure discomfort, then even the best soldiers cannot save the state on their own," Černochová pointed out, emphasizing the importance of developing active reserves, defense activities for young people, cooperation with organizations, and a greater public presence of the army—all as part of building a resilient society.

She also mentioned individual steps leading to an increase in the attractiveness of the service, including increasing soldiers' incomes and simplifying recruitment processes. The minister once again clearly supported the commitment to spend two percent of GDP on defense. According to her, this is not an empty mantra, but a proven methodology and a necessary foundation: "Without stable funding, it is impossible to plan, predict, procure materials and services, and act effectively. Fluctuations in funding not only weaken defense, but are also ineffective."

Černochová also pointed out that during her tenure, the largest modernization in the history of the Czech army was launched—from the procurement of key systems to investments in supplies and infrastructure. At the same time, she warned against the illusion that robotization, drones, and digitization alone will reduce defense costs. "The future lies in cooperation between humans and machines. The introduction of new technologies will not reduce defense spending in the foreseeable future," said the minister.

In conclusion, the minister emphasized the importance of the Czech Republic's alliance with NATO and the European Union: "Our security and prosperity are based on cooperation. We should nurture the alliance and value our membership. We must never sell our values for a false sense of security."

According to the Chief of the General Staff, 2026 will be the year that determines whether the experience, investment, and energy we have accumulated will be transformed into real combat readiness and a genuine deterrent force. We will return to the current situation in the army, including future priorities, in more detail on December 1, when we will broadcast a very interesting interview with Army General Karel Řehka as part of our CZ DIALOGUES podcast.