Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS/ECR) will host a high-level meeting of seven European leaders in Prague on Tuesday to bolster support for Ukraine.
Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and Danish Prime Minister Mette Fredriksen are expected to attend the meeting. The meeting aims to address the urgent need for coordinated efforts to support Ukraine in its ongoing conflict with Russia.
“These are leaders of countries united by their activism and determination to enhance our security,” Fiala (ODS, ECR) said in a video posted on X on Sunday.
The meeting will focus on the Czech ammunition initiative, the air defence of Ukraine, and defence industrial cooperation in Europe.
“Europe’s security today is not a given,” Fiala warned, emphasising the necessity of being prepared and united to prevent war.
“Our job as politicians is to ensure the war does not start. It is real, and all we need to do is be ready, armed, determined, and united. Strong enough that the opponent would not even think of starting a war. Yes, it will cost something, but it will still be incomparably cheaper than the slightest conflict,” the Czech prime minister added.
While French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a similar event in Paris in February, Czechia has been at the forefront of these efforts, advocating the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine from countries reluctant to release it without mediation. During a recent visit to the US, Fiala revealed that his country had secured more than 500,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, with more on the way.
Tuesday’s meeting is not the only major event taking place in Prague this week as Czechia will also host an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers on 30 and 31 May.
On Saturday, Russia targeted a supermarket in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, killing 14 people and wounding dozens.
“Friday – the Kremlin Tsar allegedly signals he wants peace. Saturday – bombs a hypermarket full of civilians. Don’t buy into the Kremlin fairytales. At the NATO Ministerial Meeting in Prague, I will be asking my colleagues to step up the support to contain Russian imperialism,” commented Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský, setting a tone likely for Tuesday’s meeting.
(Aneta Zachová | Euractiv.cz)