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Prague – The Czech Republic supports strengthening the eastern border of the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO) as well as initiatives accelerating the development of modern technologies, including the establishment of a drone alliance that will also involve Ukraine. This was stated today by Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) before his departure for an informal summit of the European Council in Copenhagen.
The summit will address two main topics – common European defense and support for Ukraine, which has been defending against Russian aggression for more than three and a half years. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen is expected to outline a plan to increase the EU’s defense readiness by 2030 to the presidents and prime ministers of the member states. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is set to participate in the discussions via video conference.
Russia and its aggressive policy pose a danger to the entire continent, and therefore, according to Fiala, it is necessary to strengthen common defense. Russia is testing European resolve and readiness, he stated. He appreciates the plan to increase defense readiness, which he believes must be realistic and ambitious. “We want the EU to invest in infrastructure that has strategic significance for defense. Whether it is bridges or highway arteries,” he noted. According to the Prime Minister, the European defense industry must not be stifled by bureaucracy. “We need faster decision-making and the ability to respond flexibly to new demands and challenges,” he added.
Regarding support for Ukraine, the vast majority of European leaders agree on this, according to the Prime Minister. “In this context, we welcome the new proposal from the European Commission and also support the use of frozen Russian assets, because Russia must pay and contribute to the compensation for the damages caused by its aggressive policies,” he said. According to Fiala, the Czech Republic also advocates for a faster adoption of another package of anti-Russian sanctions, including a ban on the import of LNG, and has long called for restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats across Schengen. The Prime Minister reminded that on Tuesday, the government approved a proposal that prohibits holders of Russian diplomatic and service passports from entering the Czech Republic. This does not apply to diplomats accredited in the Czech Republic or those who are merely passing through the Czech Republic to their state of operation or to meetings of international organizations. (October 1)