Czech President Endorses NATO's Non‑Combat Support in Ukraine
NATO forces could engage in supportive operations directly on Ukrainian soil without breaching any international regulations, Czech President Petr Pavel stated in an interview with Czech television.
12:14 PM EDT, March 11, 2024
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Pavel explained that a clear line must be drawn between deploying combat troops and engaging soldiers in supportive actions, an area in which NATO already boasts significant experience.
"After Crimea's annexation and the occupation of parts of Donbas, which amounted to aggression, albeit on a smaller scale than what we see today, NATO operated a training mission in Ukraine that involved over 15 countries and assembled about a thousand individuals," recalled the Czech president, who previously served as the head of the NATO Military Committee.
"From the perspective of international law and the United Nations Charter, there is no obstacle to NATO member states’ forces—and possibly civilians—participating in missions in Ukraine," he emphasized during the interview with Czech television.
When asked if he would support direct NATO support on Ukrainian ground, Pavel did not dismiss the idea. "I am certainly open to discussing this topic. If we, the allies, find it more sensible to dispatch a handful of instructors to Ukraine for training its soldiers on-site rather than relocating thousands of soldiers to, say, Poland or the Czech Republic, it should be considered," he mentioned.
"Assistance in training and equipment maintenance is not combat"
Pavel also reminded that following the outset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Moscow warned that anyone aiding Ukraine would be considered a legitimate target.
"Currently, we are not only supplying Ukraine with small arms but also with tanks, and we may soon provide aircraft and medium-range cruise missiles. Despite this, there has been no attack on NATO territory. Russia is fully aware that such an action would constitute a far greater legal violation than its current operations," assessed the Czech president, noting Russia's awareness of NATO's military capabilities.
According to Pavel, Western allies should boldly defend their actions legally, "because assisting in training and maintaining equipment in a sovereign country isn't equivalent to engaging in combat," he clarified.
Source: Euractiv
