Ukraine is no longer just aid recipient but strategic partner in Europe's security
Source: Lipavský at the GLOBSEC 2025 forum in Czechia on 13 June, as reported by European Pravda
Details: Lipavský said that the EU's shared understanding and reality have evolved over the past two years from "we have to help Ukraine" and "Ukraine, please help us" to true cooperation.
Quote: "It is in our interest that we cooperate with Ukraine on our security. Now Ukraine possesses some of the state-of-the-art technologies, which possibly we want to have them too. So the only way to be part of that is to be doing things in and doing things with Ukraine."
Details: Lipavský stressed that Ukraine is not a country whose "capital can be defeated in three days", but a "strategic partner in building up Europe's security".
Quote: "It is in our interest that Ukraine is on our side, and we craft this strategic partnership and that we will integrate Ukraine in so many fields. And this is a novelty. This was not here three years ago, maybe two years ago. But it is the trend of the last year."
More details: Lipavský also noted Czechia's active policy of launching joint projects with Ukraine.
Quote: "We are very grateful for this. So you have the dedication, our support and altogether we can defeat Russia and keep borders where the borders should be."
Background:
Czech President Petr Pavel previously said that under Czechia's initiative to procure ammunition for Ukraine globally, deliveries for 2026 are already being prepared.
Following his meeting with Pavel in Prague in early May, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine and Czechia are working on establishing a joint Czech-Ukrainian F-16 training school.
Czechia also recently completed a two-year programme to train 18 Ukrainian civilian aviation pilots.
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