Pavel argues that the rapid liberation of all occupied lands would mean huge human losses. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on the sanctions and economic pressure of the West towards Moscow.
In an interview with the BBC, cited, among others By European Pravda, the Czech president said that Ukraine “is not able to reflect busy areas in a short time without significant victims”, and exerting pressure on Kiev in this direction would be “dishonest”. He added that if the cost of renewing the sovereignty of Ukraine is to include temporary occupation, “it must be incurred”, while not consenting to any formal recognition of Russian jurisdiction over these lands.
Military and political context
Pavel for months He repeats that the war cannot be won only on the battlefield. In the current phase of the conflict, the front line has been stabilized, and each attempt at a large offensive would be associated with colossal losses, especially on the Ukrainian side. Similar assessments appeared in July, when the Czech leader spoke about a lack of chances for quick recovery of all territories.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminded that the territorial integrity of the country is not negotiable and that the full withdrawal of Russian troops is a condition for permanent peace.
President Wołodymyr Zelnski, speaking in Prague in May, called allies to increase the pressure, emphasizing that short -term allies would not replace real de -escalation.
According to Pavel, the West should focus energy on sanctions that hit the Russian economywhich, according to him, Moscow in the long run will “cannot stand”. This way of thinking is part of a broader debate in NATO, in which the Czech president pointed out a year ago that time works against both sides, but especially against Russia exhausting his resources.
Czech and European perspective
Czech public opinion from the beginning of the invasion belonged to the most pro -Ukrainian in Europe, and The government in Prague organized a huge action of purchasing ammunition for Kiev. The statement of Pavel, a former NATO general, though surprised some commentators, are part of the current of strategic realism, in which Ukraine's safety and demographics are focused before the immediate restitution of borders.
According to many Ukrainian and Western experts, the suggested consent to freeze the front, with the consolidation of Russian domination over Donbass or Crimea and may repeat the scheme of long -lasting low -intensity conflicts. In turn, supporters of Pavel's position see in him a pragmatic way to save Ukraine's statehood while maintaining long -term sanction pressure at the Kremlin.
The words of the Czech President open a new chapter in the discussion about the real goals of the war and how the West defines Ukraine's victory. Although Prague remains a key partner of Kiev in the field of military assistance, Pavel signals the need for a balance between military costs and strategic survival of Ukraine.
On the other hand, Kiev does not intend to give up the recovery of the whole territory, treating statements about “acceptable occupation” as threatening the principles of international law.
