Czech president-elect warns against such Ukrainian victory which would ruin Russia

Petr Pavel, former NATO general who won the Czech presidential election in January 2023 and will assume his duties in March, believes that the West must be careful in calling for Russia’s defeat in order to avoid undesirable scenarios of such a defeat.

Source: Petr Pavel during a Ukrainian Lunch hosted by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation as part of the Munich Security Conference, European Pravda reports

Pavel’s remarks came after Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that regaining control over Crimea and making sure Russia is punished on an international level is the only path available. Pavel, in his turn, said that the West ought to refrain from supporting either scenario.

"We have to be careful in encouraging Ukraine to achieve certain results. Ukraine might change its vision at some point," he added.

Pavel stressed that Russia’s defeat could occur in accordance with different scenarios, including some that the West should avoid.

"It might lead to Russia’s collapse… If Russia collapses, we might have more problems, we will not have anyone to negotiate disarmament with," he stressed.

Pavel failed to specify how he thinks the West should change its behaviour in order to prevent that from happening, but called on Western leaders to "be realistic: hope for the best but prepare for the worst".

Earlier in Munich, the US accused Russia of committing crimes against humanity during its war with Ukraine, and Poland said that it will consider handing over MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine.

It is worth noting that neither of the other participants present during the Ukrainian Lunch, including the prime ministers of Sweden, Finland and Estonia, supported the Czech politician.

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