Home » The Czech Republic distances itself from Orban, Lipavský: “It’s right to supply arms to Ukraine, we don’t want to return to a Russian colony”

The Czech Republic distances itself from Orban, Lipavský: “It’s right to supply arms to Ukraine, we don’t want to return to a Russian colony”

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The Czech Republic distances itself from Orban, Lipavský: “It’s right to supply arms to Ukraine, we don’t want to return to a Russian colony”

With the election of President Petr Pavel, the former NATO general who dismissed the populists of billionaire Andrej Babis in last month’s elections, the Czech Republic seems to have aligned all its planets in a decisive and unequivocal way towards the Atlantic Alliance , the European Union and support for Ukraine. Having put aside Pavel’s two predecessors, the unpredictable Miloš Zeman and Václav Klaus, the country that is part of the Visegrad Group and the Bucharest Nine 9 has reunited with a government and a presidency that proceeds, at least for now, on an equal footing step. Both institutions are resolutely pro-European and determined to maintain Prague’s consolidated role as one of the top ten military supporters of Kiev, dissociating itself from the increasingly extreme positions of Budapest. «Moscow is a threat to European security – says Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský -. We, who know what it means, don’t want to risk going back to being a Russian colony».
Minister, what is the foreign policy priority of the Czech Republic?
«Undoubtedly face Russian aggression against Ukraine. We are doing everything we can to stop this barbaric and unjustifiable aggression. We are sending a lot of humanitarian and military aid to Kiev, and we are lobbying within the EU for all members to do so. Furthermore, the Czech Republic has received the highest number of war refugees per capita, opening its doors to more than half a million Ukrainians. Last but not least, we are doing everything to get heavier sanctions against Moscow, which affect Russia’s ability to produce armaments. We must ensure that they cannot produce new missiles, tanks and weapons. The more weapons they produce, the more Ukrainians will be slaughtered.”
The Czech Republic has just completed the six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. In the extraordinary council in which Zelensky participated, the Italian premier Meloni did not hide her irritation with France and Germany, instead recalling her excellent relations with the Visegrad countries.
«The premise is that relations between the Czech premier and the Italian premier are excellent and friendly. But this is not the time to form blocs within the EU, we must remain united and, thus, strong. We are open to discussion, because European politics is based precisely on this, on the continuous dialogue between its members. This is not the time to disunite, but to think about individual challenges which from time to time will naturally form interest groups. At the same time it is clear that the Visegrad group is not coordinated with Hungary regarding positions on Ukraine. Prime Minister Orban has gone, in some cases, further…».
The Visegrad Group and Italy have, at times, been aligned on the migrant dossier. Now?
“There is one point on which we are in total agreement with Rome and that is that there must be a common solution for immigration, and that we must take the discussion of this dossier seriously, with numbers that today are approaching those of the migration crisis 2015-2016, but now the crisis to face is, of course, the war on our doorstep”.
Is Prague closer to Orban’s walls or hospitality?
«First of all we have to control the flows and illegal immigration. For example, we Czechs cannot have controls at the border with Slovakia, it is a source of profound unease: thirty years ago we were a single country… Controlling immigration does not in itself mean closing the borders, but neither does opening them, it means just be in control of the situation.”
After the invasion, what has changed within the Visegrad Group?
“We are definitely in a delicate situation. Hungary has formally joined the European line, but Orban and his foreign minister Péter Szijjártó keep saying completely different things. On war the V4s are not united».
Are you closer to Poland?
«Absolutely, we share strategic positions and the belief that Russia is the most serious security threat to Europe. And in this regard I would like to thank Italy for what you are doing, for the aid to Ukraine and for the promise to send anti-missile systems ».
Traditionally, the countries of the so-called Eastern Bloc are at the forefront of countering Russian threats. Even the Balts?
“Sometimes we may differ on how we say things, but all Central and Eastern European countries have one thing in common: fear.”
About what?
«Of Russian aggression, which we know very well. We don’t want to go back thirty years, we don’t want in any way to go back to being colonies of Moscow».
What are your predictions for the conflict in Ukraine?
«It will last a long time, we have to be patient and ask ourselves every day what more we can do, and continue with the aid to Kiev. Let me give you a small example of how Russia sees the world: Vladimir Soloviev is one of the Kremlin’s top propagandists. Every day in his TV show he summons young Russians to fight in Ukraine, he sends them to their deaths. Everyday. At the same time he complains because he can’t go to his villa in Italy, on Lake Como. I am convinced that we should not allow these people to come to Europe, to enjoy our prosperity, our freedom, our values, while they are working on their destruction”.
What do you think about sending fighters to Ukraine?
«I think Ukraine should have everything it needs to protect itself and its territorial integrity. Weapons are not for attacking Russia, they are for self-defense.”
Do you think a nuclear attack is possible?
“Russian policy is based on fear, so in their rhetoric the atomic bomb threat works very well, but Moscow knows exactly how NATO would react to an atomic attack. I would also like to mention that in Zelensky’s ten-point peace plan nuclear safety is the first point. We must not think only of the possibility of nuclear bombs, but also of possible accidents in power plants, such as in Zaporizhzhia, currently under Russian control”.

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