The President of the Czech Republic, Miloš Zeman, will plead Thursday in a meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmunsen in Prague for NATO to send troops to Ukraine if Russia initiates military action in Ukraine outside of Crimea.
"I think it's one thing to occupy Crimea, which never belonged to Ukraine, but was given to her by Khrushchev, while it's quite another to invade the territory of a sovereign state," said Zeman.
The Czech president emphasized that in today's world, minorities cannot be used as an argument all the time.
"A chain reaction will be set off in the world, and if taken to the point of absurdity, the Russians could seek to protect their citizens in Karlovy Vary, and none of us would want that," said Zeman.
On Thursday, Rasmussen will also discuss the need to increase defense spending with President Zeman and Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, especially in light of the current crisis over Ukraine.
"I support the increase in defense funds, but on the condition that they are spent efficiently," said Zeman.
The Czech Republic currently allocates about one percent of GDP to the defense budget, although NATO allies are required to keep defense funds at the level of two percent of GDP.
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