Czech President Petr Pavel has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for pushing for a peace agreement in Ukraine “at any cost,” regardless of the consequences for Ukraine and Europe. Pavel expressed concern that Trump’s pressure on Ukraine to accept a peace deal could undermine the country’s interests and weaken Europe’s security.
Pavel stated, “What’s on the table now suggests more of an effort to make a peace deal—any deal—so that Donald Trump can announce that he succeeded in bringing about peace, regardless of how favorable it is for Ukraine and what the consequences for Europe will be.” He also warned that if Russia emerges from the conflict strengthened and convinced that aggression pays off, Europe could face similar challenges in the future.
In his comments, Pavel criticized Trump and his team for exerting much greater pressure on Ukraine than on Russia, which he believes could pave the way for dangerous compromises. He stressed that peace should not come at the expense of rewarding aggression, and that any deal reached must be just for Ukraine.
“From the beginning, I’ve advocated for peace through compromise, but it should not be an ultimatum to Ukraine, nor should it reward the aggressor,” Pavel emphasized.
Pavel also warned that any territorial concessions included in a peace agreement should be temporary, not permanent. He highlighted that if some concessions are made, they should be seen as temporary measures and not as legitimization of Russia’s occupation.
The Czech president announced that he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Three Seas Initiative summit in Warsaw next week to discuss a peaceful compromise acceptable to Ukraine, as well as Ukraine’s needs for ammunition and weapons.
