Large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine give no grounds to believe Moscow serious about ceasefire

Czech President Petr Pavel stated this on Friday in Kyiv, Ukrinform reports with reference to Radio Prague International.

On Thursday, Pavel visited Odesa, which was targeted in a massive drone attack by Russia last night. He noted that he had received only tentative data so far, according to which it was the largest attack on Odesa and that it involved “somewhat different air raid tactics”.

The Czech President added that it is likely necessary to significantly increase pressure on the Russian side to change its approach to peace talks. “Given what we can see and hear, it does not yet seem that the Russian side intends to conclude any kind of ceasefire. Obviously, it will be necessary to apply pressure that the American President (Donald Trump – ed.) spoke about, and which should be quite noticeable for Russia to react,” Pavel emphasized.

As noted, on Friday, the head of the Czech Republic visited the Kyiv children’s hospital “Okhmatdyt”, which Moscow attacked in July last year. According to the Czech president, Russia ignores international law and is actually committing war crimes, attacking not only medical facilities, but also ambulance vehicles. “Given what I heard and what, in the end, was documented and forwarded to The Hague (ICJ and ICC – ed.), there were hundreds of such cases,” he noted.

Petr Pavel believes it is necessary to provide assistance first and foremost to those who need it most, namely people undergoing treatment in hospitals. “If someone attacks people who are defenseless and receiving treatment, this is clear evidence of barbarity, I have no other word for it,” he said.

The President of the Czech Republic also saw the “Arch I” project, within the framework of which the Czech Republic participates in saving Ukrainian cultural heritage, in particular, in the conservation and restoration of books and manuscripts. “Cultural heritage is not only symbolism, but also the foundation of every nation. If we fail to preserve what Ukrainians feel as the source of their identity, they may partially lose it,” Pavel added.

He also laid flowers at the monument to Czechoslovak heroes in Sophia Square in Kyiv and visited St. Sophia Cathedral.

As Ukrinform reported, the President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel arrived in the Ukrainian capital on the morning of March 21 after visiting Odesa.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, together with Petr Pavel, visited the village of Moshchun, Kyiv region, where fierce battles with Russian invaders were fought in 2022.