Petr Pavel called for all efforts to be made to end the war in Ukraine and to prevent its spread to the Czech Republic
The President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, delivered a strong and unequivocal statement to the global community, emphasizing the necessity of exerting maximum efforts to bring the war in Ukraine to an end and to prevent its expansion into the territory of the Czech Republic. This statement was made during a commemorative event honoring American soldiers who sacrificed their lives during World War II, near memorials in the picturesque Šumava Mountains, reports "European Pravda" citing Ceske Noviny. On Saturday, May 5th, the president visited the villages of Žúrží and Gubergh — in these cozy and sometimes forgotten places, he paid tribute to the memory of American fighters who died there at the end of the war in 1945. According to him, these locations became the epicenter of some of the last bloody battles fought between Hartmanice and Železná Ruda. On this territory, in remembrance of events from nearly eight centuries ago, Pavel highlighted how absurd and tragic the situation was at the end of the war, when only a few days remained until official victory, yet young lives had already been senselessly and irreversibly lost. "Looking at the past, I am inclined to believe that in 1945, humanity was going through one of the most brutal and necessary collective battles for freedom and dignity. But, unfortunately, the same is happening today," Pavel stated. He emphasized that every human life is valuable and that peace is not something that automatically occurs but is the result of conscious and dedicated efforts by the world. "Peace needs to be cultivated already today," he stressed. "We cannot afford to be indifferent, because the war in Ukraine, where young people are dying now, has the same absurdity and terrible consequences as those that happened here, in these villages, decades ago. It is extremely important to do everything within our power to not only end the Ukrainian war but also to prevent its spread across borders, into our homes and into our hearts." In his speech, Pavel once again underscored the historical importance of vigilance and caution in current geopolitical realities. He specifically noted: "Remembering the start of World War II in the 1930s, we must be especially attentive. If today we overlook warning signs and do not react in time, our successors might be surprised — wondering why we didn't see that the attempts to systematically conflict with the West are gaining momentum. We try to learn lessons from the past, but history has a tendency to repeat itself if we do not learn from its mistakes." Recent assessments from Western intelligence agencies indicate that the situation around Russia suggests that the country is preparing for large-scale military actions — not only against Ukraine but also against other countries of the European Union and NATO. Specifically, European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kublėlius confirmed that intelligence warns of a possible Russian attack in the coming years. At the same time, Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the country's armed forces warn that Russia considers itself a participant in a systemic conflict with the West and is actively preparing for a full-scale war that could escalate into a confrontation with NATO. Thus, the words of the Czech president take on particular significance amid rising tensions. They serve as a kind of call to the entire global community not to repeat historical mistakes and to make every effort to maintain peace, because, according to him, humanity will always regret it the most.