”We need to be tough on Trump. That’s what the world respects.” An interview with the Czech foreign minister 

European Pravda previously interviewed Jan Lipavský in February 2022, just two weeks before Russia’s full-scale invasion. The Czech Foreign Minister was among the Western officials visiting Ukraine daily back then, but those efforts could not prevent the outbreak of a full-scale war. 

Unlike many European politicians, however, Lipavský came to Ukraine in February 2022 with more than words of support. Anticipating the invasion, Czechia was one of the first countries to start supplying Ukraine with artillery shells. 

Now, in 2024, a significant portion of large-calibre ammunition deliveries once again involves Prague. The so-called Czech Initiative is collecting ammunition worldwide to sustain the combat capabilities of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. 

The minister has good news about the continuation of this effort. 

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This interview also touches on the influence of Donald Trump on EU support for Ukraine.

“We need to convince Trump’s team”

Right before your visit to Kyiv, Russia raised the stakes,  using a new missile type. Do you expect a new escalation now?

I hope there is not another escalation.

There is enough escalation from the Russian side now. We need to do everything we can to prevent them from another escalation.

There is one lesson: we need to continue to support Ukraine. Because it’s not only about Ukraine, it’s about what is allowed in this world. It is, basically, about whether imperial war for territory is allowed in the 21st century.

A major change is to take place on 21 January – Trump will become the President of the United States. What do you expect from Ukraine?

We know one thing about Donald Trump: he is a tough guy.

If we, as Europe, want to prove something to him, or maybe to convince him about something, we need to be tough too.

Ukraine is tough. Ukraine is so tough that it was not three days, not even three months, and now I’m sure it won’t be three years for Russia to be able to subjugate it.

So I expect toughness.

But let’s wait until what the final composition of Trump’s  administration will be. We know many names, we hear some speculation. Some names have even already been dropped. It means that we need to wait and see.

To some degree, we know what we are expecting from Donald Trump. He promised a strong America. Maybe we’ll see new tariffs.

We will need to convince them that the war between Russia and Ukraine is not only about Russia and about Ukraine. This…