Czech President Petr Pavel urged NATO to toughen its stance on Russia and warned that the alliance may have to shoot down Russian aircraft.
Czech President Petr Pavel called on NATO to move to a tougher line toward Russia after incidents on the alliance’s eastern flank. In an interview with The Guardian, he said the bloc’s countries need to «show their teeth» to Moscow.
Pavel noted that Russian aircraft, according to him, regularly fly over warships in the Black and Baltic seas. Against this backdrop, the Czech president believes NATO should respond not only firmly, but possibly asymmetrically. Among such measures, he named cutting Russia off from internet infrastructure and satellite services, as well as further restricting Russian banks’ access to the international financial system.
The Czech leader said that, in his view, Russia does not respond to diplomatic wording and primarily understands the language of force backed by concrete actions. Pavel admitted that if violations of NATO airspace continue, the alliance will have to shoot down Russian unmanned and manned aircraft.
As an example, he cited a recent incident in Estonia, where a NATO fighter jet shot down a drone. According to Pavel, similar cases also occurred in Latvia and Lithuania. At the same time, the publication notes that in most such episodes, these were Ukrainian drones that, after the impact of electronic warfare systems, deviated toward the territory of alliance countries.
Pavel also addressed sanctions against Russia. He said the West must increase pressure on Moscow and link any possible easing of restrictions to a ceasefire and negotiations on Ukraine. According to the Czech president, Russia is interested in lifting sanctions and discussing a new European security system, but the condition for this must be an end to hostilities.