Czech president on Ukraine's NATO membership: Let's keep this question open

Czech President Petr Pavel stated this in an interview with the European Pravda news outlet, according to Ukrinform.

He suggested that the presence of American businesses in Ukraine would likely lead to the U.S. protecting these interests. Additionally, he noted that security guarantees would also come from European nations that had declared their willingness to support Ukraine.

Pavel referred to a "coalition of the willing -- a group of countries that can and are prepared to deploy stabilization forces to Ukraine once a peace agreement is reached. He also recalled that the Czech Republic is part of this coalition.

When asked why NATO membership was not among security guarantees for Ukraine, the Czech president pointed to U.S. President Donald Trump's stance on the issue. He noted that the U.S. president had rejected the possibility of Ukraine's rapid accession to NATO. If this became an obstacle to achieving a peace agreement, Pavel believed it was necessary to accept the reality. He also emphasized that NATO membership was not a matter of a few months and would require more time.

At the same time, he noted that the issue should not be removed from the agenda. He suggested leaving the question open, as political leaders come and go. He pointed out that in three years, the U.S. would have a different administration, which might take a different approach to the matter.

The leaders of EU countries, the UK, and Canada are set to meet in Paris to discuss their stance on Ukraine and the conditions for a peace process.