A number of world media, including the Politico website and the Reuters office, paid attention to Czech President Petr Pavel’s remarks about Russians living in the West. In an interview with Rádio Svobodná Evropa, the Czech politician called for Russian citizens living in Western countries to be watched more closely than in the past, “because they are citizens of countries waging aggressive wars.”
“It’s a war tax”. Russian citizens living abroad should monitor themselves more closely, says Pavel | Video: Free Radio Europe
Pavel compares this situation to the “rigid surveillance regime” that the Japanese imposed on the United States during World War II. “This is just the result of the war,” added Pavel, adding that stricter surveillance should be carried out mainly by the secret services.
During World War II, the US deported more than 100,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps as a precaution. The government in Washington later formally apologized for this action and offered financial compensation to those affected.
“Russian propaganda will be happy about that,” Jiří Just, a Czech journalist living in Russia, commented on Pavlov’s remarks. An unfavorable comparison with Japan was also noticed by an influential Portuguese political scientist Bruno Maçães, “Pavel considered the US an unconditional model that even the darkest page of American history could serve as a guide for him.”
Ukraine and NATO
As well as closer monitoring of Russia, Pavel also indicated in the interview that NATO member states should take a clear position at the upcoming summit in Vilnius regarding the possible entry of postwar Ukraine into the alliance. He views Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO as the only guarantee of regional stability.
“I would very much welcome a clear statement regarding Ukraine’s future membership when the war ends. It is clear that the accession process cannot begin while the country is still at war (with Russia),” the Czech president said. “I firmly believe that all leaders will understand that Ukraine’s presence – both in NATO and in the EU – is perhaps the only guarantee for how to ensure stability in the region, how to strengthen NATO and the EU and how to defend Russia and the EU. his aggressive policy was under control, added Pavel.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be the main topic at the alliance’s summit in July in the Lithuanian capital. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last week that the alliance should discuss options for providing security guarantees to Ukraine after Russia’s war against Ukraine ends. Ukraine’s entry has been mainly supported by the so-called eastern wing of NATO, while other member states are still unsure about Kyiv’s prospects.
The former chief of the general staff of the Czech army and chairman of the NATO military committee believes that Ukraine’s counteroffensive in recent days has not fully begun. He called the fighting in the south and east of the country, in which Ukrainian troops captured several villages, a preparatory operation.
The offensive window is about to close. Pavlo’s words about Ukraine attract world media attention (17/5/2023)
Petr Pavel at the Copenhagen Summit for Democracy | Video: Youtube/Alliance of Democracy
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