Return to normal relations with Russia impossible while war in Ukraine continues – Czech FM

Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka stated at a meeting of Czech diplomatic missions that returning to normal relations with Russia is impossible while the war in Ukraine continues. Macinka emphasized that Russia's invasion has fundamentally damaged European security and warned that abandoning economic pressure tools on Russia would be futile as long as the aggression persists.

He assured that the Czech Republic and its allies will continue using these pressure measures against Russia wherever effective. Macinka stressed that the war in Ukraine poses a fundamental European security problem and that military aggression should not be a successful international policy tool. He also noted that war is not a PR campaign, but a tragic reality, and there is no need to compete in displays of support.

Instead, responsible policy should focus on creating conditions for safe and lasting peace while protecting the Czech Republic's security interests. Macinka pointed out that while the war in Ukraine is a major security threat, it should not overshadow other issues such as uncontrolled mass migration, energy dependence, and technological lag.

The Czech foreign minister outlined three guiding principles for the government's foreign policy: realism, reciprocity, and diversification. He also reported that Ukrainian ambassadors in Kyiv had outlined the tasks of Ukraine's foreign service abroad in early August.