U.S. Secretary of State Blinken supports Czech positions on Ukraine

Washington, April 27 (ČTK) – Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Czech aid to Ukraine last night, and Blinken expressed clear support to the Czech Republic in all positions, Lipavský has told the Czech News Agency (ČTK).

Both condemned the horrific atrocities committed by Russia's forces in Ukraine and stressed the need to hold the Kremlin accountable.

The two politicians also discussed collaboration on defense, energy security, and human rights, the U.S. State Department website said. They also reflected on the life and legacy of former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, a proud native of Prague, and her outstanding contributions to freedom, democracy, and human rights.

"The meeting concerned Czech support for Ukraine. Secretary Blinken expressed clear support for Czechia in all positions, including the stance on Russia and China. We will keep proceeding together as allies. NATO is our guarantee when it comes to security," Lipavský said.

"At the same time, I mentioned that Americans have not had their ambassador to Prague for a long time already. The appointment of an ambassador would only reinforce our cooperation," he added.

Before the meeting started, Blinken said the United States and the Czech Republic have been allies and partners in many fields. The strength of this alliance is confirmed now, face to face with the Russian aggression in Ukraine, too.

"The Czech Republic has been a remarkable supporter of Ukraine in this effort. It has taken in more than 300,000 refugees from Ukraine, making it the home in quotation marks for Ukraine refugees, one of the largest in Europe beyond the immediate border states," Blinken said.

Blinken called the Czech Republic a reliable NATO partner that is now strengthening its protection against potential Russian aggression. At the end of his opening speech, Blinken also mentioned Albright’s funeral. He stressed he had utmost respect for her.

At the beginning of the meeting, Lipavský emphasized the Czech-US alliance and said the war of Russian President Vladimir Putin against Ukraine is an attack against international order.

"For Central and Eastern Europe, it is very important to know that we are not alone, that being a NATO member means an obligation to take care of one another and that this is the policy of the US," Lipavský said.

These days, it is very important to see real actions, not only in the form of humanitarian aid, Lipavský said. Weapons and will decide about the result in war times, he added.

"Unfortunately, Putin's mind is a product of the Soviet era of the KGB [secret service] and he truly believes in this Soviet myth. They do not consider Ukraine a sovereign state, which means that they are against the international order," Lipavský said.

"This imperialistic vision usually has a snowball effect. If we had tolerated Russian aggression against Ukraine, we would have paid a much higher price in the future," Lipavský said.

"Thank you very much for your care for European security," he concluded.

Lipavský wrote on social media that he met Kurt Campbell, the White House advisor for the Indo-Pacific region, and discussed with him Czech interests in this field. Lipavský also met Penpa Tsering, the head of the Central Tibetan Administration, the Tibetan government in exile.