Czech President Petr Pavel said that Europe is at the beginning of a long confrontation with Russia, but it will not necessarily be a military one, he said this in an interview with Die Presse.
According to him, if European countries want to maintain their own security and prosperity, they must set clear borders for Russia.
"If we don't do this, it could lead to significant complications in the future," Pavel said, adding that peace with Russia cannot be achieved by accepting its goals.
He emphasised that Moscow wants to restore the imperial greatness of the Soviet Union, including its sphere of influence, which Russia is openly talking about.
"We must prepare for the fact that Russia will not be a peaceful partner... When Russia acts against our interests, we must confront it. Otherwise, our way of life and our values will be under threat," the President said, noting that by supporting Ukraine, Europeans also support their own security.
According to the Czech leader, there is still a possibility that Russia will see that it cannot achieve military success in Ukraine, which could lead to diplomatic negotiations instead of ‘a senseless waste of resources and human lives.’
At the same time, he believes it is unlikely that Kyiv will regain all of its territory in the foreseeable future. Pavel also said that no one denies Ukraine's future membership in NATO, but Moscow needs to be made aware that it will not pose any direct threat to it.
Commenting on the possibility of Donald Trump being elected president of the United States, the president said that Europe has long behaved like a ‘spoilt child’ towards the United States, so it should be prepared for this and take on more responsibility in the security sphere.
