Pavel Says It's Impossible To Talk With Putin Now, Reiterates Support For Arming Ukraine

Ahead of his official inauguration this Thursday, Czech President-elect Petr Pavel gave an interview to Le Monde in which he discussed his views on foreign policy.

• Pavel told the newspaper that he sees it virtually impossible to talk with the Russian leaders at this stage of the war in Ukraine and suggested that Russia should first propose a draft peace plan if it wants to negotiate.
• The former NATO general expressed support for continued delivery of weapons to Ukraine, noting that while sending fighter jets now would not be effective due to the duration of necessary training, Kyiv's allies should consider it as a longer-term option.
• Meanwhile, Pavel noted that Czechia reached its limits in the delivery of heavy military equipment to Ukraine but could send some of the Leopard 2A4 battle tanks which it is expecting to receive from Germany, even if it reduces its own defence capabilities.
• Pavel accentuated breaking with outgoing President Milos Zeman's legacy of trying to turn Czechia into a bridge between the East and West, noting that there is no middle position and Czechia must side with the democratic world.
• Pavel said that a debate is needed on the future of the Visegrad Group as Hungary's stance on the war in Ukraine diverges from that shared by Czechia, Slovakia and Poland, albeit he noted that Hungary's leaders "will change sooner or later."