Is Russia at war with Europe? For Czech President Petr Pavel, that is a non-question.

At the GLOBSEC security conference, Pavel delivered a stark assessment of the Russian threat, declaring that Russia views its relationship with Western democracies as “continuous conflict” rather than traditional periods of peace and war.

The warning comes as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte prepares allies for a potential agreement on 5% GDP defense spending at the upcoming Hague summit in June, with Pavel confirming that “if the discussion in The Hague leads us to a general agreement that we need to spend up to 5%, Czech Republic is ready to support it.”

Russia is in a “kind of war” with Western democracies

Pavel, a former NATO Military Committee chairman, outlined a fundamental difference in how Russia approaches international relations compared to Western nations.

“We still divide the periods of history into peace, crisis, and war. Russia is not doing that,” Pavel explained during the conference. “They see history as a continuous conflict where only means and intensity change. So for them, they are actually in a kind of war with Western democracies.”

Currently, Pavel noted, Russia employs “mostly cyber and hybrid tools” against the West, “but this may change very quickly because, as I say, they really see it as a continuity.”

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Economic pressure over military force

When pressed on how Europe can compel Russia to negotiate, Pavel emphasized economic tools over military intervention.

“Frankly, I don’t think that Europe alone has the power to push President Putin to the table,” he said. “We need other countries, and especially the United States, on board at the same frequency.”

Pavel argued that Russia’s economic vulnerabilities present the best leverage: “The only way how to convince President Putin that the time has come to sit at the table is really to push him to the brink of economic collapse. It’s not about bringing Russia down. It’s simply bringing them to the table to negotiate the future.”

NATO’s 5% spending push gains momentum

The GLOBSEC appearance coincides with accelerating discussions within NATO about dramatically increasing defense spending, with Rutte proposing 3.5% for core military expenditures and 1.5% for broader security investments including infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Pavel warned that a seven-year timeline to reach these targets may not provide adequate preparation time given Russia’s ambitions.

“Russia has an ambition to reconstitute the Soviet Union as a global power,” he stated. “It would be very naive to believe that President Putin will not be tempted to use the power he has – the power of war economy – to at least try to test NATO unity and resolve.”

Czech Republic’s role

Pavel highlighted Czechia’s position as already exceeding the current 2% NATO spending target and committed to reaching 3% in coming years. The country has also led international efforts to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

Pavel directed pointed remarks toward neighboring countries: “When it comes to the Czech Republic, the Russian assessment is that we are a hostile country, we are an enemy, and we are a traitor. So why should we consider Russia as a neutral country to us?”

He added: “I hope this was heard loud and clear also in other neighboring countries – in Bratislava or Budapest as well.”

Allies confirm that Ukraine’s path to NATO is irreversible at the Vilnius summit. At the Bucharest Nine and Northern European summit in Vilnius on 2 June, Ukraine’s partners reaffirmed that the country is firmly on course to join NATO and approved new aid packages, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.

The Bucharest Nine format includes Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Northern European nations Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden joined the group.

The summit aimed to align security positions, boost cooperation along NATO’s eastern flank, and discuss support for Ukraine ahead of the NATO summit in The Hague, UkrInform reports. 

President Zelenskyy briefed the participants of the Vilnius summit on the Security Service of Ukraine’s Web operation, calling it a demonstration of what modern warfare looks like and the importance of technological superiority.

Earlier, Swedish politician and former Prime Minister Carl Bildt, referring to this operation, said that even 007 movies haven’t imagined something like this. 

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The Bucharest Nine and Northern European countries pledged continued political, military, economic, and humanitarian support to Ukraine in pursuit of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace.

The summit declaration also emphasized that the upcoming NATO summit in The Hague must demonstrate the Alliance’s unwavering support and commitment to Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte confirmed that all 32 NATO allies in Washington reaffirmed Ukraine’s irreversible path to membership, though no timeline has been set.

He added that Russia remains a long-term threat to NATO, rapidly building its military potential and working closely with China, North Korea, and Iran. To address these threats now and in the next 3, 5, or 7 years, NATO allies must increase defense spending and strengthen the defense industry.

The declaration adopted at the summit also condemns any form of support for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, calling for an end to all aid enabling it from China, Iran, and North Korea. 

The Czech court has convicted a teacher of pro-Russian propaganda in class, iRozhlas reports.

A court in Prague has delivered a guilty verdict in a case that stirred the country back in April 2022. Hana Bednarzová, a stylistics teacher, denied Russia’s invasion of Ukraine during a class, claimed that “nothing is happening” in Kyiv, and called ČT1, a public television channel, “controlled by George Soros.”

The teacher justified Russia’s actions against Ukraine and called Ukrainian soldiers “Nazis” who “remove skin from alive people and kill children.” Bednarzová also claimed that “the Russians have been killed in Donbas since 2014.”

When 13- to 14-year-old students objected, she dismissed their arguments, citing “edited footage” and “media fakes.”

Bednarzová was fired in May 2022. She tried to sue for reinstatement but failed. During the trial, she did not retract her words and even claimed that “everything about the war is a lie.”

The judge emphasized that the teacher exploited the trust of underage students, who could not critically assess her statements, a key point in the conviction.

Bednarzová called the case a “political witch hunt” and announced plans to run for parliament with the pro-Russian Stačilo! movement, which advocates lifting sanctions on Russia and Belarus.

Earlier, a Czech citizen who joined the Russian Armed Forces contacted Czech diplomats for help, said Daniel Dreik, the spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Russian forces increasingly rely on poorly equipped infantry assaults, often described as “meat-grinder” attacks. Its leadership often sends waves of infantry soldiers into fire with minimal artillery or drone support, resulting in heavy casualties.