Czech Foreign Minister: If Ukraine falls, we will face Russia on our borders

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said that the main challenge for Prague is to keep Russia as far away from Czech borders as possible and to continue supporting Ukraine.

Source: European Pravda with reference to ČTK

Quote from Lipavský: "If Ukraine falls, we will face Russia a little closer – literally on the borders of the European Union, very close to the Czech Republic, and we must not allow this to happen."

Details: As Lipavský said, assistance to Ukraine – military, humanitarian, financial, political or psychological – also benefits European security.

"We must remember that in Ukraine, we are restraining Russia's imperial expansion, which is also cutting its teeth on the Central European region, on the Baltic states."

The foreign minister pointed out that war fatigue, which is often talked about, shows itself in different ways, so he believes it is important to explain to the public the need to support Ukraine.

"However, if it is true that we are tired of our own security, then we are losing our freedom and sovereignty," the minister said.

"I regularly tell everyone in Europe that our main challenge is to keep Russia as far away from our borders as possible. This is what our policy should be aimed at. The debate is not easy, but we see that in the end, European countries are able to come to an agreement," Lipavský said.

The minister also said that Ukraine and Moldova demonstrate high motivation and efforts to get closer to the EU, and Prague should help them in this.

"Our assistance is not motivated by pure altruism and the fact that it is good. It is in our own interest to help these countries get as close to us as possible because Moscow's imperialist policy is again gnashing its teeth at them," Lipavský added.

Background:

• In his Christmas greeting to the peacekeeping forces, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen mentioned Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and said that the war going on in Ukraine is for the future of the whole of Europe.
• Earlier, Borrell had drawn attention to the danger of a Russian victory against Ukraine for the European Union project.
• He also called for more active support for Ukraine, given that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not set to stop his full-scale aggression in the near future.

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