Ukraine’s planned counteroffensive to retake territory occupied by Russia has a high chance of success, but could cause heavy losses if Russia makes good use of its prepared defenses, Czech President and former NATO general Petr Pavel said on Friday, stressing that after all, Kyiv will also receive Western fighter jets, Reuters reports.

Pavel, 61, said in an interview that Ukraine needs support to join NATO and the European Union, but joining either would be a long process, although talks on EU membership could begin this year.

Pavel, who led the Czech army and was also the chief military adviser to NATO’s secretary general from 2015 to 2018, said Ukraine would eventually get the Western fighter jets it had been asking for, but that they could not be delivered on time. the coming offensive and there were higher priorities such as ammunition.

The chance of significant Ukrainian success is very high, but it will come at a high price

“Of course, there are high hopes that the Ukrainian counteroffensive will be successful, because Ukraine is motivated, well prepared, its troops are experienced and, of course, not subject to such shortcomings as the Russian army,” Pavel said in Prague City, the seat of the Czech presidency .

The Russian military had serious logistical and morale problems, but we should not wait for the collapse of the defense, he said.

“Russia has managed to prepare a relatively high-quality and deep defense in several areas, which, if used effectively, will cost… Ukraine heavy losses,” he said.

It is impossible to say how much territory Ukraine can return, as various scenarios are open, he said.

“Not always everything goes according to wishes and plans, but I believe that the chances of significant Ukrainian success are very high.”

Pavel, who was decorated for the rescue of a French unit during a peacekeeping mission in Croatia in 1993, declined to say when a counteroffensive might begin, but said recent Ukrainian attacks on Russian infrastructure and troop concentrations were signs of preparations.

It will be recalled that Britain supplied Ukraine with several Storm Shadow cruise missiles, which gave Ukrainian forces a new ability to deliver long-range strikes before the long-awaited counteroffensive against Russian forces, after long-standing requests from Kyiv, which the Biden administration has so far refused. send them

How it happened with Western tanks.

It will be recalled that it was the Polish government that exerted strong pressure on Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, which Warsaw announced on January 11 that it intends to do so.

Later, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki announced that while his government had submitted a formal request to Berlin for permission for the transfer, as required by NATO’s arms re-export rules, Germany’s negative conclusion would be ignored.

Just two days after Morawiecki’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced on February 25 that Berlin had approved Poland’s request, would grant all similar requests and, in turn, provide Ukraine with a company of 14 Leopard 2 tanks.

Ukraine called for quick NATO membership, but Pavlo said it would take time.

“Supporting Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO should be our long-term goal,” Pavel said when asked what NATO should say to Ukraine at the July summit in Vilnius.

“I’m not saying that it should be in a certain time horizon, because the preparation for admission to both institutions is very difficult, requires long-term preparation and the fulfillment of a whole list of criteria, but we must help Ukraine in this. “