Photo: Vít Šimánek, ČTK
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Prague on Thursday for talks aimed at drumming up support for his country’s fast track admission to NATO ahead of next week’s summit in Vilnius. He received assurances from the president and prime minister that Czechia would remain a staunch ally.
President Zelensky arrived on a Czech government plane, escorted by two Air Force jets and was whisked to Prague Castle, amid what has been described as the biggest security operation in years.
Following a brief ceremony on Prague Castle’s main courtyard the Ukrainian leader headed for a 90-minute-long private meeting with the Czech president to ascertain the measure of Czech support his country could expect at the upcoming NATO summit. He was not disappointed.
Speaking at a press briefing following the talks, President Pavel said it was not just in Czechia’s best interest, but its moral duty to support Ukraine in its quest for something that Czechia itself had striven for not so long ago – the right to freedom and to choose where it belonged.
“We need to say loud and clear that it is in the interest of the Czech Republic that Ulkraine should be invited to start accession talks with NATO as soon as this war is over. It is in the interest of our own security, regional stability but also economic prosperity. History has taught us that strength lies in unity, and in supporting countries that engage in cooperation rather than confrontation. We likewise back Ukraine’s ambition to join the EU and hope to see accession talks launched before the end of the year. Ukraine needs to hear that Europe is ready to embrace it in the years to come.”
The Czech president said Ukraine could count on continued Czech support both on a political, military and humanitarian level. He underlined the significance of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius not just for Ukraine, but for the whole of Europe.
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Author: Daniela Lazarová