Petr Pavel believes that Ukraine deserves to join NATO

• Ukraine should join NATO “as soon as the war is done,” Petr Pavel says.
• Czech Republic deployed T72 and BMP1 infantry fighting vehicles to Kyiv.
• He said that he’s proud of his country for helping Ukraine.

Ukraine should be permitted to join NATO “as soon as the war is done,” according to Petr Pavel, the president of the Czech Republic.

General Pavel, a veteran NATO official, predicted that after the war, Ukraine will be “morally and practically ready” to join the Western alliance.

Gen. Pavel made a forceful defense of Western military assistance to Kyiv in his first public interview with the international media since his election, saying there should be “absolutely no boundaries” to what countries should contribute.

He claimed sending Western fighter planes like F-16s was “not taboo” in his opinion, but he wasn’t sure they could be delivered in time to be useful to Kyiv while speaking from the Renaissance Hrzansky Palace, a few hundred meters from Prague Castle.

Despite Emmanuel Macron of France’s assertion that nothing is off limits, US President Joe Biden has disqualified the US from supplying F-16s this week.

“I am proud of my country being one of the first to provide Ukraine with significant military help,” he told the media.

The Czech Republic was the first Western nation to deploy T72 and BMP1 infantry fighting vehicles to Kyiv as part of a wave of heavy armament shipments that are said to have started as early as March 2022.

After considerable soul-searching and agonizing, nations like the UK, the US, and Germany have started responding to Kyiv’s repeated requests to deploy contemporary, Western-made tanks like Leopard 2s, Challenger 2s, and M1 Abrams.

“Probably very few people could imagine that Western countries would be willing to provide Ukraine with modern main battle tanks or long-range artillery or anti-aircraft systems,” he went on.

Now, he said, it was reality.

“But at the same time we see it’s still not enough” to counter Russia’s significant resources of men and materiel, he added.

He acknowledged Kyiv’s disappointment at the speed of deliveries, especially Western tanks, which were explicitly designed to punch holes – literally and figuratively – through Soviet armored formations.

Ukraine claims the West has so far committed to sending at least 120 of these tanks, of which 300 have been requested. However, Gen. Pavel expressed his expectation that the pace would quicken, particularly if Russia begins its anticipated spring onslaught.

The president-elect dismissed the notion that such delivery may be viewed as a “escalation,” which has long been maintained in several European cities, particularly Berlin.

Russia has issued a warning that rising Western military supply will cause Nato nations to get more directly involved in the conflict.

“We have no alternative,” he said. “If we leave Ukraine without assistance, they would most probably lose this war. And if they lose – we all lose.”

President-elect Pavel also said that he and other European leaders had a duty to explain to their sceptical – and in many cases frightened populations – of the sense in helping Ukraine.

“Our cities are not being destroyed by Russian artillery and missiles. But our future could be destroyed if we don’t support Ukraine to a successful end to this conflict.”

And he also dismissed claims – among them from the man who stood against him this weekend, former Prime Minister Andrej Babis – that he was closing the door to diplomacy.

“Once there is even the slightest chance of peace talks, let’s support it. But there are no signs of it from the Russian side,” said Mr. Pavel, who was often portrayed as a warmonger during the campaign.

“What needs to be said is this: the end of war is entirely in Russian hands. It would take only one decision from President Putin to withdraw his forces from Ukraine and the war is over.”

He also told the Media that after it was finished, Ukraine will clearly have a place in NATO.

“The Ukrainian military will be probably the most experienced military in Europe. Ukraine deserves to be part of a community of democratic countries.”

NATO included? question asked.

“I believe they really deserve it.”

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