Foreign Minister: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seriously damaged European security

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has seriously damaged European security, Foreign Minister Petr Macinka said at the annual meeting of Czech ambassadors in Prague on Monday, adding that Czechia and its allies will continue to use economic pressure on Russia where effective as long as the aggression continues.

According to Macinka, other security threats must not be overlooked, including uncontrolled mass migration, energy dependence, technological lag, declining competitiveness and Czechia’s ability to defend itself.

Macinka said the new government remains committed to Czechia’s membership of the EU and NATO, but wants to shift from activism to diplomacy, moralizing to negotiation and symbolic gestures to results. Economic diplomacy is one of the main priorities of Czech foreign policy.