(MENAFN- UkrinForm) Czech President Petr Pavel has granted permission for 20 citizens of his country to join the armed forces of Ukraine.
This was reported by radio Prague International, according to Ukrinform.
Another 56 applications were rejected on the basis of recommendations from the Czech Ministries of Defense and the Interior, Pavel said in a program broadcast on February 25 by Nova TV channel.
According to the Czech president, the reason for the rejection of applications for admission to the Armed Forces was the applicants' failure to meet the criteria.
The current Czech president's predecessor, Miloš Zeman, issued 132 permits to join the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic since February 24, 2022.
Pavel also criticized the insufficient material assistance provided by Western countries to the Ukrainian army in previous years, as well as the level of their investment in their own defense capabilities.
According to him, the debt of Western countries to the defending country is that they failed to supply Ukraine with enough quality equipment and ammunition for a successful and rapid counteroffensive. He reminded that Russia has shifted its economy to a military orientation and is capable of producing 150 tanks and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition per month, while the EU has not produced a single new tank in two years and its production of large-caliber shells does not even reach Russia's monthly level.
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"In two years, Russia has managed to learn from its mistakes and mobilize its military industry, but has not yet been able to achieve significant success. Ukraine, on the other hand, has managed to regain part of the annexed territory, push the Russian fleet out of the western part of the Black Sea, while maintaining the combat capability of the army and the determination of the population to defend itself," Pavel noted.
"The conflict in Ukraine will not end quickly, as neither Russia nor Ukraine is capable of achieving their goals. It is logical that Ukraine seeks to regain full control over its territory within internationally recognized borders, which, in principle, should be supported. ... Russian President Vladimir Putin, after his expected re-election as head of state, will seek to achieve at least partial goals - full control over the occupied regions, especially Donbas," Pavel suggests.
At the same time, he noted that "Russia is currently so weakened by the war against Ukraine that it will not risk any conflict with NATO countries.
"However, this cannot be ruled out in the future, especially if Russia achieves any significant success in Ukraine," he said.
As Ukrinform previously reported, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala stressed that Prague fully supports Ukraine's sovereignty and independence and called for not being afraid to stand up to those who threaten peace on the entire continent.
Photo: Zuzana Bönisch
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