The 2026 Freedom Lecture - General Karel Řehka
The Czech and Slovak Freedom Lecture was established in 2000 to commemorate the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution. Conceived as a joint activity of the Czech and Slovak Embassies, together with American Friends of the Czech Republic and Friends of Slovakia, the choice of speaker and topic alternates each year between the Czech and Slovak groups.
In this year’s lecture, General Řehka will examine how the Czech Republic and its allies should respond to the evolving threat environment. He will discuss the readiness and modernization of the Czech Armed Forces, the role of a strong and resilient defense industrial base, lessons from the war in Ukraine, and the steps NATO allies can take to strengthen deterrence, resilience, and collective defense.
About the 2026 speaker:
General Karel Řehka
General Karel Řehka is a retired Czech four-star general and former Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces. His military career spanning more than three decades encompassed special operations, five overseas deployments, senior NATO assignments, cybersecurity leadership, and command of the Czech Armed Forces during a pivotal period for European security.
He commanded the elite 601st Special Forces Group and later served as Director of Special Forces at the Czech Ministry of Defence. A veteran of operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan, he also served at NATO’s Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in Germany and as Deputy Commander of Multinational Division Northeast in Poland, contributing to the Alliance’s collective defence and readiness on its eastern flank.
A graduate of the U.S. Army Ranger Course and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he has longstanding professional ties to American and allied armed forces. Before becoming Chief of the General Staff in 2022, he led the Czech National Cyber and Information Security Agency. He subsequently commanded the Czech Armed Forces until June 2026, during a period shaped by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the transformation of Europe’s security environment.
His contributions to national security and transatlantic cooperation have earned him numerous distinctions, including the Czech and Slovak Transatlantic Award (GLOBSEC and Jagello 2000) and the Arnošt Lustig Award for Courage, Bravery, Humanity and Justice. Among his many Czech and international state and military decorations are the U.S. Army Commendation Medal, France’s National Order of Merit (Commander), Ukraine’s Order of Merit (Second Class), Poland’s Order of Merit (Knight’s Cross), and the Czech Republic’s Medal of Merit, alongside additional NATO and military honours.