Prague (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said Europe must engage the United States in security discussions and assist in finding a way to bring it closer to Kyiv after the suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.
Lipavsky said Europe also needs to concentrate on being ready to replace U.S. assistance for Ukraine and on European security with its own resources.
The Czech government has already begun discussing strategies to lift defence spending to 3% of GDP in the coming years, from approximately 2% in 2024. It has also coordinated an ammunition drive since last year for Ukraine that sources stockpiles from around the world to assist Kyiv’s fight against a Russian invasion.
He expressed the initiative had secured deliveries for the coming months and was aiming to secure more grants from donor countries.
How does the EU plan to fund its rearmament efforts?
The European Commission presented a plan to borrow up to 150 billion euros to lend to European Union countries under a rearmament scheme driven by Russia’s war in Ukraine and worries Europe can no longer be sure of U.S. protection.
Jan Lipavsky in an interview welcomed the package, which he stated would be a good basis for a summit of EU leaders examining Ukraine and security.
How does Lipavsky support closer US-Ukraine relations?
“We (also) need to continue to engage with the U.S. on debate on European security and we need to find a way maybe how to bring Ukraine and the U.S. closer together,”
Lipavsky stated.
“We should not give up on the U.S., definitely not. But this is the reality and we have to do what we can.”
At the EU summit, he expressed he expected to witness clear positions from all 27 member nations, which will steer how to move forward on security matters.
How does Lipavsky view Ukraine’s role in peace talks?
Czech foreign minister further said Kyiv needed to be at the table, and that a reasonable and lasting peace was required while warning past ceasefires between Kyiv and Moscow did not operate.
“The core interest of the Czech Republic and, I hope, most European countries is to make sure that we will stop Russian imperialism, that we will protect the principles that borders are not changed by brute force,”
He stated.
