Czechia – Czechia’s new President, Petr Pavel, used his opportunity to speak to the United Nations General Assembly on September 19 to reaffirm his country’s support for Ukraine and outline his views on the parameters for a successful conclusion to the conflict.
President Pavel’s trip to the UN was his first since taking office in March.
Support for Ukraine remains firm
“Last year, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, one of the founding nations of this organisation, blatantly violated the fundamental principles the UN stands on,” Pavel told the General Assembly, which was holding its 78th session.“The Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues to constitute a manifest violation of the UN Charter and international law that we all subscribe to.”
Pavel focused on the Russo-Ukrainian War throughout most of his address, promising that his country would continue to support the Ukrainians to defend themselves for as long as is necessary. He likewise condemned the Russian Federation for its war crimes and called on its forces to withdraw. He further endorsed the forming of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian war crimes.
Looking ahead to the end of the conflict, Pavel stressed that peace “cannot be based on an unjust compromise, or conditions imposed by the conqueror. . . .It must be peace on the terms of the defender and not the aggressor.”
President Pavel did not limit his attacks on authoritarian regimes to Russia, likewise taking China, North Korea, and Iran to task for acts of military aggression. He stressed that international cooperation is needed to keep such nations in check.
Czechia is mindful of other threats as well
While highlighting his country’s contributions to Ukraine’s war effort, both in terms of materiel and in the acceptance of refugees, he also talked about Czechia’s efforts in relation to climate change. He underscored the fact that Czechia stands in eighth place in terms of reaching the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and he referred to climate change as the “single most destructive threat to humankind.”
Pavel likewise highlighted ongoing threats to democracy from authoritarian regimes that use the latest technology to distort the truth and disseminate their own narratives, again stressing that only global cooperation can ensure the continuing success of democratic regimes.
“Those who contest the international rules steer the wheel of global security backwards into confrontation, and sooner or later, at the expense of all of us,” he said. “It is apparent that only collective action can ensure a safe and prosperous future for all. In this respect, Czechia recognises its global responsibility and remains committed to ensuring that no one is left behind.”