Czech President-elect, Petr Pavel, has stated that Ukraine should be allowed to join NATO as soon as the conflict in the region is over. In his first international media interview, Pavel, a retired NATO general, gave a strong defense of Western military support to Ukraine, saying there should be “almost no limits” to what countries should send.

The Czech Republic was the first Western country to send tanks and infantry fighting vehicles to Kyiv, and now countries such as the UK, the US and Germany have begun delivering modern Western-made tanks. Despite warnings from Russia, Pavel believes that assistance to Ukraine is crucial, as leaving them without help would result in a loss for everyone.

He also dismissed claims that he was closing the door to diplomacy, stating that the end of the war is in Russia’s hands. Once the conflict is over, Pavel sees a clear place for Ukraine in NATO, stating that Ukraine deserves to be part of a community of democratic countries.

Article by Prague Forum