Czech president calls for greater European autonomy within NATO
Czech President Petr Pavel has called for NATO to have stronger "operational autonomy" within its command structure in Europe, urging the alliance to prepare for missions without relying on active US involvement.
Speaking at the GLOBSEC security forum in Prague on Thursday, the 63-year-old former general said European nations should consider "mirroring" command posts currently held by US military officers with European personnel.
Such a move, he argued, would ensure Europe-specific operations remain viable regardless of Washington's decisions.
Pavel, who served as chairman of the NATO Military Committee from 2015 to 2018, said Europe must respond to shifting US attitudes toward European security, particularly under President Donald Trump.
"It is time that we draw the necessary conclusions from the fact that the United States' role in European security has changed. The new US administration has unsettled transatlantic relations and forced Europe to face strategic questions it cannot postpone," he said.
"The aim is not to create an alternative to NATO, but to strengthen NATO's European pillar. To succeed, this European pillar cannot remain an abstract ambition. It needs to be institutionalized, embedded in NATO's standard planning, in budgeting and force development processes," he continued.
Security conference under way in Prague
Top politicians, defence officials, and experts are meeting in Prague this week for the 20th annual GLOBSEC security forum. Discussions are focused on global security challenges and strategies for overcoming ongoing crises.
The Czech Republic, a NATO member since 1999, has taken a prominent role in supporting Ukraine in its defence against Russia's war of aggression. Prague's conservative government has backed an initiative to supply Kiev with artillery ammunition and continues to advocate for robust support for Ukraine across the alliance.
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