On Monday, at noon, a ceremonial changing of the castle guard took place at Prague Castle. The Czech and Ukrainian flags were raised to signify solidarity with Ukraine. The day of solidarity with Ukraine was declared by President Miloš Zeman, who will present state awards in 2020 and 2021 in the evening.
First, the Czech flag, then the Ukrainian flag went up on the flagpoles in the first courtyard to the sound of the national anthem. This was preceded by the ceremonial entry of the castle guard and its subsequent changing, accompanied by music.
The evening will be marked by the presentation of state honors on the occasion of the 172nd anniversary of the birth of the first Czechoslovak president, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, and the Castle announced that guests would be “politely asked in the written program of the evening to make a financial contribution to help the Ukrainian people.”
Some politicians have already announced that they will not attend the ceremony because they do not feel surprised by Russia’s attitude, unlike the president. Zeman has long been criticized for his pro-Russian stance. After the war, he condemned Russia’s actions and called for sanctions.