The temporary occupation of some Ukrainian territories may be an acceptable price to pay for preserving Ukraine's statehood and saving human lives.

This was stated by Czech President Petr Pavel in an interview with the BBC.

Pavel, who was previously a senior commander in NATO, said that Ukraine, even with the full support of its Western allies, would not be able to liberate the occupied territories in the short term without suffering heavy losses.

The president said it would be unfair for the West to pressure Ukraine to immediately regain all occupied territories. Pavel explained that the goal should be to ensure the survival of the Ukrainian people and their nation. According to him, if the price for restoring Ukraine as an independent and autonomous state includes accepting the temporary occupation of part of its territory—without legal recognition—then such a compromise may have to be accepted. However, the Czech president insisted that the international community should never recognize these territories as legally Russian. 

Pavel also stressed that there are currently no practical means of pushing Russian forces out of the occupied Ukrainian territories without causing enormous casualties and destruction. He noted that Russia, with its enormous military and human resources, is a particularly difficult opponent, especially since it is supported by a powerful economic partner such as China.

Nevertheless, the head of state stressed the continuing need for military support for Ukraine. He said that under the Czech ammunition initiative, Ukraine had received about 1.5 million large-caliber rounds over the previous year. This year, that figure is expected to increase to 1.8 million, including approximately 800,000 155-millimeter shells. Pavel said this would guarantee Ukraine an average monthly supply of 80,000 shells, which he described as a significant amount for effective defense and operational planning.

Pavel also added that the war cannot be won by military means alone. He stated that economic, financial, and other non-lethal instruments, especially those that can be used jointly by Europe and the US, would be much more effective. In his view, it is in the interest of both sides of the Atlantic to exert significantly greater economic pressure on Russia. He said that given the current state of the Russian economy, Moscow would not be able to withstand such pressure indefinitely and would ultimately be forced to engage in negotiations.

Pavel stressed the importance of involving Europe in any future peace talks, noting that Russian leader Vladimir Putin sees US President Donald Trump as his only legitimate negotiating partner and seeks to exclude European participants from the process. However, the Czech president stressed that Europe must have a seat at the negotiating table, as the outcome of the war will have profound implications for the collective security of the continent. | BGNES