Fiala: Czechs should have similar diplomatic representation in Russia to allies

Czechia should have similar diplomatic representation in Russia to its allies, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday, in response to a query from the Czech News Agency on the issue of sending a new ambassador to Moscow. The foreign minister, Jan Lipavský, has said the Czechs should have an ambassador in Russia, but President Petr Pavel says he is unable to imagine renewing the post at present.

The ambassador to Russia is officially Vítězslav Pivoňka, though he has been in Czechia for several months. Diplomat Jiří Čistecký is serving as deputy ambassador in Moscow.

The UK and Germany have recently sent new ambassadors to Russia, despite that country’s war on Ukraine.