Europe must maintain strong transatlantic ties with US – Czech army chief
Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces Karel Rehka said this in an interview with Ukrinform.
"The most important guarantee of Ukraine's future security in the short and medium term, the most effective deterrent against future Russian aggression is a strong Ukraine and a strong Ukrainian military," he said, adding that any potential foreign military presence after the war should focus on helping Ukraine build its own capabilities.
Amid ongoing debates about Ukraine's membership in NATO and the European Union, Rehka stressed the importance of rapid integration into Western institutions for both Ukraine and its partners.
He acknowledged that membership decisions are political but noted that, from a military standpoint, Ukraine's integration into NATO would likely be the least complicated part and could be achieved relatively quickly if there is sufficient political will.
"When it comes to military interoperability – the interoperability of doctrines, procedures, mapping systems, and similar technical aspects – that is actually the least problematic part. Those things could be fixed very quickly. The bigger issues relate to other requirements, which are more connected to the political system: civilian democratic control of the military and other institutional aspects," Rehka said.
Regarding Europe's future security architecture, he emphasized the importance of NATO's collective deterrence and defense system, while urging Europe to take on greater responsibility and strengthen its own pillar within the alliance.
"At the same time, we will probably see more 'coalitions of the willing.' When there is no full consensus within a large organization, or when an organization is not the most efficient framework for a specific task, countries create coalitions to act together. I believe similar coalitions will also play a role in ensuring Ukraine's security," Rehka said.
As previously reported, during the Munich Security Conference in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that security guarantees for Ukraine must be among the first agreements to be signed to end the war.
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