Czech President-elect Petr Pavel, a former NATO general, said in an interview with France Presse on Thursday that Western military aid to Ukraine, which is dealing with a large-scale invasion by Russia, should not be “limitless”. urged the allies to show more courage.

Petro Pavel (61), who headed NATO’s Military Committee from 2015 to 2018, won the presidential election on Saturday and will be sworn in on March 9.

In this interview, Pavlo stated that the West should provide Ukraine, which is fighting the Russian invasion, with all types of weapons, except for nuclear ones, reports Agerpres.

“On conventional weapons, I really don’t see any reason to impose restrictions,” he said.

“Without armored vehicles, drones, artillery and long-range missiles, and probably even without supersonic aircraft, Ukraine cannot fight such a tough opponent,” the Czech reserve general believes.

Western allies, including the Czech Republic, have provided significant military aid to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.

“We must provide Ukraine with all the necessary means”

In his opinion, more courage would be needed, since “some countries have a slightly restrained position” regarding the supply of modern weapons.

“If we want to adopt a unique position that will give us the best chance of success, we must act united in these matters,” said Petr Pavel, according to Poland’s proposal to send F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, if this initiative was supported by NATO as a whole .

“We must provide Ukraine with all the necessary means to help it push the Russian army out of its territory on its own,” said the newly elected president of the Czech Republic, who called Volodymyr Zelensky a day after the vote to assure him of his activities. support your country.

He announced that he plans to visit Ukraine in the spring together with the President of Slovakia, Zuzana Chaputova.

The Czech Republic, which is a member of the EU and NATO with a population of 10.5 million people, has provided military aid to Ukraine in the amount of 217 million dollars, the Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic announced on Thursday.

“Ukraine has already fulfilled the conditions”

Pavlo also supports Ukraine’s candidacy for membership in the EU and NATO after the end of the war.

“If we perceive NATO and the EU as a zone of stability, cooperation, and good relations, then we should allow another large European country to join us,” Pavel said.

“Not only does it deserve to join us, but we will also benefit, as will Russia, when it can restore normal relations with the West,” he believes, assessing that Ukraine’s accession to NATO is “only a matter of political will.”

“Regarding the agreement on values, long-term strategic interests, technological compatibility between NATO and the Ukrainian army, I believe that Ukraine has already fulfilled the conditions,” he said.

The war must end with Russia’s withdrawal, peace talks, the restoration of Ukraine and an investigation into war crimes, he says.

“We will have to bring Russia here not only by continuing to support Ukraine, but also by applying very strict sanctions against Russia,” the newly elected president of the Czech Republic emphasizes.

“This is the only way to make Russia understand that it has acted against the norms and that in the civilized world of the 21st century, even a large country like Russia cannot ignore the norms of the world community,” says the new president. Czech Republic.

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