Pavel: The price for Ukraine's survival may be a temporary occupation

Czech President Petr Pavel said today that the price for Ukraine's survival may be the temporary occupation of part of its territories, but that the West will never recognize that they are legally Russian.

"Even with all the support from the West, Ukraine is not able to liberate the occupied territories in a short time without huge losses of human lives. We want it to survive as a sovereign, independent state. If the price for that is that part of the territory remains occupied, then so be it. We will never recognize that these occupied territories are legally Russia," the Czech president said in an interview with the BBC.

The Czech president stressed that it would be unfair for the West to continue to pressure Ukraine to immediately liberate all occupied territories, and that the priority should be the survival of the Ukrainian people.

"On the one hand, we believe that we should continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but it is clear that this is a war that cannot be won on the battlefield. Much stronger are the economic measures and the pressure that Europe and the US can exert together. I believe that it is in the interest of both sides of the Atlantic to exert much stronger pressure on Russia," Pavel told British radio.

The Czech president stated that he believes that such pressure, given the current state of the Russian economy and the fact that the Russians cannot withstand it in the long run, would result in Russia having no other option but to sit at the negotiating table.

"It is a package of measures that does not kill, but convinces very effectively," said Pavel, adding that he does not believe the Russian arguments because Russia wants full control over the territories of Ukraine and on its own terms.

The Czech president believes that the reconstruction of Ukraine after the ceasefire would be an important signal not only for Ukrainian citizens but also for Russians.

"Once we reach a peace agreement, we can begin to rebuild Ukraine and possibly, in line with the Russian approach, bring Russia back to the table to fully resolve the security order in Europe," the president said.

Petr Pavel also stated, responding to a question from the BBC, that he could not guarantee that the Czech Republic would continue to send military aid to Ukraine after the parliamentary elections in two months.

"There will be parliamentary elections in our country and I don't know what the priorities of the new government will be," said the Czech president, adding that he is constantly talking to all leaders of parliamentary parties that Czech aid to Ukraine is one of the key elements of the Czech Republic's own defense.