Army chief of staff: We need more professional soldiers and active reserves

“Russia is escalating its offensive policy towards Ukraine and the Western world and building a coalition that includes Iran, China and North Korea,” Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka said at the annual Commanders' Assembly on Tuesday. He said the war in Ukraine is a warning signal to all democratic nations to strengthen their defences and resilience. Řehka emphasized that the Czech army needs more professional soldiers and more active reserves, in order to better prepare for the new collective defence commitments. The army leadership is meeting to set the priorities for the development of the Czech army and the main tasks of the armed forces for the coming year.