Czech President Petr Pavel said Friday that Ukraine may have to make “painful compromises” as part of any future peace deal with Russia, while stressing that the United States remains central to efforts to end the war.
Speaking in Kyiv after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Pavel said Europe must continue to play an active role in peace initiatives, even as Washington holds a decisive position.
“It is painful for Europe that the key role is still played by the United States,” Pavel said. “But that does not mean Europe or European countries should stand aside from these efforts.”
According to Evropeyska Pravda, Pavel said that any potential peace plan would likely require Ukraine to accept difficult concessions, provided they lead to a lasting end to the war.
“I believe there are painful compromises that Ukraine will have to make — and is ready to make — if this leads to peace,” he said, adding that Kyiv has already done significant work to make proposed solutions acceptable.
The Czech leader also said Europe must do “everything possible” to ensure that diplomatic efforts and preparatory work on a peace framework are not wasted.
The Kremlin on Thursday claimed Ukraine is rapidly “running out of options” to end the war, as Kyiv confronts its most severe energy and heating crisis in Russia’s full-scale invasion after sustained Russian strikes on infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters, including AFP, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the situation for Ukraine is worsening by the day and claimed that Kyiv’s room for maneuver is shrinking.
“The situation is deteriorating day by day for the Kyiv regime,” Peskov said, adding that Ukraine’s “corridor for decision-making is narrowing.”
At a joint news conference, Pavel highlighted Prague’s continued military support for Ukraine, saying the Czech Republic currently accounts for about 50% of ammunition supplies delivered to Ukraine under its own shell procurement initiative.
“I am pleased that the current government has continued this initiative,” Pavel said. “We will be able to provide roughly the same amount of ammunition as before. Ukraine’s armed forces will not suffer shortages and will be in a better position.”
The Czech Republic has been one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, backing Kyiv diplomatically, militarily and financially.