Czech PM Fiala warns against appeasing Russia in Ukraine ceasefire deal
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned allies against appeasing Russia in any ceasefire agreement with Ukraine, stressing the need for U.S. strength to deter further Russian aggression, in an interview with Bloomberg.
Europe needs the United States to demonstrate its power to halt more aggressive moves by Russia, Fiala stated and cautioned allies against "appeasement" in any process to end the war against Ukraine.
The Czech premier, whose government has been one of the most vocal in NATO condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stated that forcing Kyiv to concede territories would only fuel Russian President Vladimir Putin's military ambitions.
"We find ourselves in a very complicated and dangerous situation that some rightly describe as a second Cold War. It is in our interest to have an America that is strong, and which will show its strength to Russia, because that is the only chance to stop Putin," Fiala said.
Fiala, who has been in office for three years, referred to a pivotal moment in his country's history, underscoring that any ceasefire conditions must be accepted by Ukraine.
Anything else would be akin to "another Munich Agreement," he said, referring to the 1938 pact where Britain, France, and Italy agreed to Nazi Germany's annexation of parts of then-Czechoslovakia to avoid a broader war.
The Munich Agreement was signed on September 30, 1938, by the leaders of Germany (Adolf Hitler), Britain (Neville Chamberlain), France (Édouard Daladier), and Italy (Benito Mussolini). The agreement, reached without the participation of Czechoslovakia, allowed Germany to annex the Sudetenland region, which had a predominantly German population.
The document stipulated the transfer of the Sudetenland, including all fortifications, equipment, armaments, factories, mines, railways, and raw material supplies, to Germany between October 1 and October 10, 1938.
On November 5, over 100 former high-ranking officials from Western countries signed an open letter urging against a Munich-style agreement with Russia.
On December 8, former U.S. President Donald Trump called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and the start of negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Putin can be stopped by force.
