Czech President Pavel calls for “realism” in restoring territorial integrity of Ukraine

In an interview with The New York Times, Czech President Petr Pavel said Ukraine should accept the likelihood some of its territory might remain under Russian control once the war ends.

Petr Pavel says Ukraine “should be realistic” regarding its chances for reclaiming the areas taken by Russia.

The Czech president remarked, “The most likely outcome of the war will be that part of the Ukrainian territory will be under Russian occupation, temporarily,” adding that this “temporary” situation might endure years.

According to him, “the end (of the war—Ed.) will be somewhere in the middle; we can’t talk about the defeat of Russia or Ukraine now.”

Pavel claimed that “a number of examples” of territories that Russia temporarily occupied exist. He left vague what he intended.

The Czech president consistently maintains this stance. He has already suggested that, if it helps to bring the war to an end, he thinks a temporary “compromise” on the Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory is imaginable.

Czech President Petr Pavel emphasizes the need for Ukraine to join NATO in the event of a temporary “compromise” on the Ukrainian territory that Russia has seized, which he believes is necessary to stop the war.

Petr Pavel, the president of the Czech Republic, also expressed his opinions on when Russia’s war against Ukraine would stop.

Pavel believes that the war in Ukraine will continue until there is enough force to convince both parties that they cannot achieve their political goals through armed means. He stated this on the PoliTalk podcast, which Novinky publishes in text form.

Along with Poland and the Baltic States, the Czech Republic has been a particularly consistent backer of Ukraine to help the country in the defense war against Russia, but public demand to reduce its assistance and drive Ukraine toward a settlement with Moscow has grown.

An opinion poll taken this summer indicates that almost two-thirds of Czechs would prefer a rapid end to the war in Ukraine, even if it would mean some land still under Russian control being lost. 

Mr. Pavel brushed off as “nonsense” persistent demands from populist leaders such as Mr. Orban, a skeptic of military aid, that Ukraine should quickly sue for peace and cease draining funds better used on home needs.

However, he said, Ukrainians should be “realistic about the support that they can achieve” from states under pressure to pull back aid against Russia.