Petr Pavel, Czech President: Russia cannot stand economic pressure

Maria Jevstafjeva speaks to Czech President, Petr Pavel about
ending the war between Ukraine and Russia. Mr. Pavel was elected
to the role in 2023, having retired from a military career that
began with serving in the military of communist Czechoslovakia
during the Cold War in the 1980s and ended three decades later
after chairing Nato’s Military Committee.


The first military officer from the former Eastern Bloc to hold
the post, he oversaw the Alliance's responses to a number of
crises - including the fallout from Russia’s 2014 annexation of
the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine.


As Russia’s war on Ukraine continues into its third year, Western
leaders are renewing efforts to bring an end to the bloodshed and
implement a ceasefire. Mr. Pavel, who was elected on a platform
of closer ties with the EU and Nato, believes the only way to do
this is by getting Putin to the negotiating table - even if that
means allowing Russia to occupy parts of Ukraine, but without
recognising Moscow’s claim to them.


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Presenter: Maria Jevstafjeva Producers: Ben Cooper and Tatiana
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(Image: Petr Pavel. Credit: Martin
Divíšek/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)