In his opening speech, Pavel said that today’s world is not divided by west-east lines, but by the value anchoring of democracy against autocracy. “While we stand for the values of democracy, personal freedom, the rule of law, human rights, these values are challenged by our opponents. Not only by the traditional ones, such as Russia, but also by China, North Korea or Iran,” said President Petr Pavel in a speech on Saturday.
And many more are watching this rivalry unfold. So it is up to us to show that our model is more worthy of following than that of autocracies“, he added.
Pavel also called on the chiefs of general staff of NATO countries to be courageous and open in creating their conclusions and recommendations so that they are understood at the political level as well. “The situation we are in does not allow us to be politically correct,” he pointed out.
The President stated that one of his experiences from eight years of working in NATO structures is that despite all sorts of differences between individual states and their efforts to promote their national interests, as a result, they all strive to achieve a common position on the challenges they face. “This is a culture that clearly sets us apart from our competitors,” he noted.
According to Pavel, NATO is the most successful long-lasting military alliance in the world. It does not mean that it is perfect, it is still necessary to work on its improvement, however, it is a zone of stability, security and prosperity, he said. He appreciated that states so different are able to strive for a common position.
From yesterday to Sunday, a field meeting of the NATO Military Committee is taking place in Prague. It is the first time in the Czech Republic. At the level of the Chiefs of General Staff/Defense, the Military Committee meets three times a year, twice at the Alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, and once at a traveling meeting in one of the member countries.
The Chiefs of the General Staff and Defense discuss the current security situation in Europe, led by the chairman of the committee, Admiral Rob Bauer. defense plans of NATO and the implementation of the conclusions from the summit in Washington. Bauer spoke in front of the generals about the need to increase the capacities of the military industry in the member countries. “Armies win battles, economies win wars,” he said. The Army of the Czech Republic is represented by the Chief of the General Staff of the ACR, Lieutenant General Karel Řehka.
Strengthen the defense
In front of a full hall, Řehka appealed for defense spending across NATO countries to increase in the future. “With the increasing number of challenges and demands, it is clear that spending two percent of the gross domestic product on defense will not be enough in the future,” emphasized the head of the Czech army.
On the army expenses in the amount of two percent of the GDP per year agreed by NATO states in 2014. The Czech Republic will issue them for the first time this year.
In his speech, Řehka further reiterated that the allies must provide Ukraine with all necessary assistance, whether it concerns training or supplies of weapons and other military material. “Russia is not only active on the traditional battlefield, but also uses hybrid tactics, cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns to sow fear and undermine societal unity,” pointed out.
At the same time, the Chief of the General Staff strongly emphasized that international terrorism is still a major threat to NATO. “It remains a threat to NATO and the wider security environment. It requires a collective, far-reaching and proactive approach by allies,” said Rehka.
According to Řehka, the July NATO summit in Washington showed a clear path for the alliance, which is struggling with a significantly evolving security landscape. “The threats we face are becoming more complex,” he said.
According to him, long-term peace cannot be achieved through concessions, therefore he considers it essential to stick to the strategy of deterrence. “It must be clear to every adversary that NATO is ready to defend every bit of its territory decisively and without hesitation, if necessary,” he added.
We could have prevented the war
Acting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said NATO could have done more to arm Ukraine, to prevent a Russian invasion in 2022.
“Now we provide military equipment for war – then we could provide military equipment to prevent war,” Stoltenberg said. He pointed to NATO’s reluctance to provide weapons that Kiev had requested before the invasion, due to fears of escalating tensions with Russia.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (31.5.2024) | Lightning: Jakub Poláček
Stoltenberg also stated that the war in Ukraine can only be ended at the negotiating table. “To end this war, dialogue with Russia will have to take place again at some stage. However, it must be based on Ukrainian strength,” he said.