Czechia is ready to contribute troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine, Czech President Petr Pavel said in a television interview released on March 22.
Pavel met President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on March 21 to discuss European-led security guarantees for Ukraine and cooperation in defense production. Prior to that, Pavel visited Odesa on March 20, during which Russia launched a drone attack on the city that injured three people.
"If there is a strong group of European nations willing to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, my strong conviction is that (the) Czech Republic should be among them," Pavel said.
The Czech president said that the "newly organized coalition of the willing" is ready to deploy a "stabilizing force" in Ukraine once a peace deal is reached.
"We are part of this coalition now and I believe that once we come to an understanding that there is (a) common will to deploy ... forces, that (the) Czech Republic will be part of it," Pavel said.
Pavel said NATO membership should not be an "obstacle" to achieving a peace agreement, but should not be taken off the table for Ukraine.
"Let's have it as an open issue for the future because politicians come and go," Pavel said, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's opposition to Ukraine's NATO membership.
Czechia is ready to work with Ukraine on reconstruction and military cooperation, Pavel said.
"The biggest threat to European security was and still is Russia," he added.
Pavel also said that Russia's war against Ukraine would likely end up with Russia's temporary occupation of Ukrainian territory, but that Russia's sovereignty should not be recognized.
"If there is no real will to provide much more military support (to Ukraine) ... with limited personnel, it will be impossible for Ukraine without huge losses to succeed in liberating territories that are occupied by Russia," he said.
According to Pavel, Ukraine has not obtained enough military aid to ensure a complete victory.
"This conflict without changing the parameters will most probably end up with some compromise ... but I believe the compromise solution shouldn't be recognition of occupied territories as rightfully Russian."
Pavel was in Odesa on March 20 to meet with Oleksii Kuleba, deputy prime minister for the restoration of Ukraine. Maritime security, reconstruction, and community development were on the agenda for the visit.
On March 21, Pavel met Zelensky in Kyiv, where the two leaders agreed to open a Unity Center for Ukrainians in Prague.
Czechia has been one of Ukraine's staunchest allies throughout Russia's full-scale invasion. The two countries signed a 10-year bilateral security deal in July 2024.
Natalia Yermak
(Updated: )
