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Czech President Pavel: Czechia Should Be Part of Peacekeeping Efforts in Ukraine
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![Photo of Maryna Kulakova]( "Photo of Maryna Kulakova")
Czech President Petr Pavel stated in an interview with the Czech news agency ČTK that if peacekeeping units were deployed in Ukraine, Czechia could and should be part of them, given its active role in the peace process and support for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion. He noted that the specific involvement would depend on the terms of any agreement.
“There is an idea that a demilitarized zone could be established along the front lines, whatever they may be. Such a zone would require both technical and physical control, and international forces would likely be stationed there,” said President Pavel.
He also suggested that territorial concessions might be necessary to reach an agreement, although he acknowledged this would be a violation of international law.
“This is more or less an acknowledgment of the reality that Russia controls certain regions firmly. If these are recognized as temporarily occupied, we must call them that, not Russian territories,” Pavel added.
Pavel emphasized that he would not speculate on the exact terms of a potential territorial agreement, stating that this matter should be decided by Ukraine and Russia. “We probably shouldn’t be advising them on what they should keep or give up. That definitely goes beyond our authority and competence,” he remarked.
Regarding security guarantees for Ukraine, which could involve the potential deployment of foreign troops as part of peacekeeping forces, Czech Defense Minister Jana Černochová told Seznam Zprávy on August 16 that Czechia is not currently considering such a move.
If Czech forces were to operate in Ukraine after a ceasefire, Černochová explained, it would likely resemble the post-war situation in former Yugoslavia. Czech units there were not deployed directly along active conflict lines, she clarified.
Czech Ministry of Defense spokesperson David Šíma added that if the Czech army were involved, it might include tasks such as training Ukrainian soldiers or assisting with demining efforts. Any deployment of soldiers would require approval from both the Czech government and parliament.
Earlier, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda announced that the country is prepared to contribute peacekeeping forces to a potential mission in Ukraine.
