PRAGUE — PRAGUE (AP) \u2014 Czechs cast ballots on Saturday in the second and final day of a parliamentary election that could put the country on a course away from supporting Ukraine and toward Hungary and Slovakia, which have taken a pro-Russian path. <\/p>\n
Billionaire Andrej Babi\u0161<\/a> is predicted to be the latest populist leader in Central Europe to stage an electoral comeback. Opinion polls favor Babis to beat a pro-Western coalition led by Prime Minister Petr Fiala that defeated him<\/a> in the 2021 vote.<\/p>\n With the victory, Babis would join the ranks of Prime Ministers Viktor Orb\u00e1n<\/a> of Hungary and Robert Fico<\/a> of Slovakia, whose countries have refused to provide military aid to Ukraine,<\/a> continue to import Russian oil<\/a> and oppose European Union sanctions on Russia.<\/p>\n The Czech Republic has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. The country has donated arms including heavy weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces and is behind an initiative that acquires artillery shells Ukraine badly needs from countries outside the EU.<\/p>\n Babi\u0161 has questioned such support and also refused to fully endorse a NATO commitment to significantly increase defense spending.<\/p>\n He joined forces with his friend Orb\u00e1n last year to create a new alliance in the European Parliament, the \u201cPatriots for Europe,\u201d <\/a> to represent hard-right groups, a significant shift from the liberal Renew group that Babi\u0161 previously belonged to.<\/p>\n The Patriots are united by anti-migrant rhetoric, a critical stance toward EU policies tackling climate change, and the protection of national sovereignty.<\/p>\n