Europe must realize Ukraine war is distant conflict for US, Czech analyst says

Europe must recognize that the United States views Russia's war against Ukraine differently from European countries and therefore needs to step up its own support for Kyiv, Czech security analyst and diplomat Tomas Pojar has said.

In an interview with Ukrinform, Pojar – vice-rector of the CERVUS University in Prague and a former Czech government national security advisor – said that while Russia's full-scale invasion represents Europe's biggest security threat since World War II, Washington sees it as a geographically distant conflict rather than an immediate regional danger.

According to Pojar, the United States remains focused on multiple geopolitical flashpoints, including the Middle East, developments in Asia, and security issues in the Western Hemisphere such as Venezuela and Cuba.

"We in Europe have to view this realistically and shape our expectations accordingly," Pojar said. "If we are not prepared to address this conflict [war in Ukraine] primarily with our own capabilities – by strengthening our defense capacities and helping Ukraine defend itself – we cannot expect others to do it for us."

He stressed that Ukraine should continue receiving maximum support, including financial aid, weapons, ammunition, and other military supplies.

Pojar also described intelligence cooperation as critically important, noting that European intelligence assistance has improved recently. However, he said American intelligence support remains absolutely crucial and will likely continue to be so for some time.

He also stressed that Ukraine must remain economically viable during the war.

"Ukraine needs financing and the ability to export its goods to Europe. That is a much better solution than long-term subsidies or redistribution mechanisms," he said.

Pojar added that Ukraine must maintain a strong military. While Western countries are not deploying troops to Ukraine, they can continue supporting Kyiv through funding, military training, and arms deliveries.

At the same time, he acknowledged that the West collectively has provided substantial assistance to Ukraine.

Under the so-called Czech ammunition initiative, launched in early 2023, Ukraine has received around 4.5 million large-caliber artillery shells.

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