President Pavel urges the West not to fear Russian threats

During a conference titled "Our Security Is Not a Given" held at Prague Castle Tuesday afternoon, Czech President Petr Pavel expressed his confidence in the democratic world's ability to withstand Russian threats, while also advising caution.

Pavel emphasized that the democratic community's strength lies in its values, citizenship, economy, and military capabilities. However, he highlighted concerns over the potential fatigue of Western countries in response to a potentially prolonged conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin strategically relies on Western fatigue and disunity to further his military aggression in Ukraine, Pavel opined. Putin calculates that as conflicts lose urgency over time, Western leaders and citizens will become preoccupied with their everyday concerns, thus losing their resolve. 

Despite the challenges that Czech citizens face, such as economic issues at home, Pavel commended their unwavering support for Ukraine. He also praised the Czech government's continuous provision of military and humanitarian aid. According to the Czech president, abandoning Ukraine would be tantamount to democratic countries abandoning themselves.

Turning his attention to China, Pavel underscored the significance of taking its power ambitions seriously. He said that while an armed conflict between the West and China may not be imminent, it would be unwise to repeat the mistakes of inaction. He emphasized the existential importance of strengthening relations with all democratic countries worldwide within this context.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala, who also spoke at the conference, said that Russia has shown its willingness "to cross all limits” in the future in order to succeed in the war. “We are facing a scenario of a frozen conflict, which would mean the creation of a center of permanent security instability in Eastern Europe," he added.

According to Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský, the West is standing on the threshold of a global conflict. He added that a change in Russian leadership will not be enough to move away from Russia's isolation, claiming that a “deeper transformation of Russian society” is needed to prevent future aggression. 

"Just like [its] defense, the Czech Republic must also strengthen diplomacy to limit the influence of Russia and China," he added, explaining the strategic importance of countries in other parts of Asia and in Africa on the side of the West.