Petr Pavel: Neither Ukraine nor Russia will achieve their maximum goals in the war.

Czech President Petr Pavel, a former NATO general and one of the most active supporters of Ukraine in the war with Russia, claims that it is Time for Ukrainians and their allies to face reality. According to The New York Times, he stated that Ukraine "will have to be realistic" about reclaiming occupied territories. According to him, the most likely outcome of the war is the temporary occupation of part of Ukrainian territory, which may last for years.

Talking about a defeat of Ukraine or a defeat of Russia simply won't work. Therefore, the end will be somewhere in the middle.

The Czech president emphasized that neither Ukraine nor Russia can achieve their maximum goals. Ukraine dreams of reclaiming all occupied territories, including Crimea, while Russia demands Ukraine's surrender of the lands it claims. However, Pavel stresses that a victory for one side cannot be achieved, so the end of the war will be somewhere in the middle.

The Czech president also noted that there is a growing loss of enthusiasm due to the prolonged war and populist leaders who divide Europe on this issue. Petr Pavel called the calls by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for Ukraine to quickly end the war and focus on Europe's internal needs "nonsense," but he also expressed indignation over the pressure on governments that are forced to reduce aid against Russia.

According to a survey, almost two-thirds of Czechs support a rapid end to the war, even if part of the territory remains under Russian control. It is noted that peace will not come until Russia stops its military actions, regardless of Ukraine's statements about ceasing hostilities.