Zeman's next stop: Moscow

According to Miloš Zeman's official web page, the president's schedule is completely clear for the time being, which could lead jokesters (like us) to say he's waiting by the phone for Vladimir Putin to call. Of course he does have some events coming up, such as a visit to the Vatican in late April, but the next really big events are indeed two visits to Moscow. First there is Victory Day in May and then, more importantly, a state visit to the Kremlin this fall. As we wrote in Jan., the Russian embassy likely made mention of the previously unannounced state visit as a way to complicate Zeman's trip to the AIPAC conference in Washington. It seems to have worked, given that no U.S. politician would touch him with a 10-foot pole while he was there. What can the Sobotka cabinet now do to complicate his Russian adventures? Deny him funding for his state visit to Moscow? Maybe, but PPF and Lukoil would merely pick up the tab anyway.