Jakub Landovský on Ukraine, NATO and Europe’s illusions

In a new episode of Czechast, the podcast in English about all things Czech, former Czech NATO ambassador Jakub Landovský reflects on Ukraine, NATO and Europe’s hard lessons. Drawing on his own experience inside the Alliance, he speaks openly about disillusionment, strategy and power. He also looks back at 1989 and explains where he still finds hope today.

Rules, power and the limits of illusions

Jakub Landovský does not believe that good intentions alone can protect international order. In the interview, he argues that Europe has spent too long believing in rules without being willing to defend them.

Jakub Landovský|Photo: Kateřina Cibulka, Czech Radio

“If you have rules, you need to enforce them. And for enforcement, you need force,” he says bluntly. According to Landovský, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine exposed the gap between values and real capabilities. While political declarations multiplied, decisive action lagged behind.

Ukraine and NATO in February 2022: empty phrases, no strategy

As Czech ambassador to NATO during the early phase of the war, Landovský witnessed the internal debates first-hand. He recalls that consensus was slow and often shaped by disbelief rather than urgency.

Photo: Office of Czech Government

“Every day we met, we slowly gained traction in the North Atlantic Council. But some countries — especially in Western Europe — didn’t believe it was possible to defend Ukraine.” What followed, he says, was a dangerous mismatch between rhetoric and reality.

“Europe was full of empty phrases — ‘we’ll be with Ukraine until the end’, ‘whatever it takes’. But there were no numbers, no strategy for the war, bad coordination. And I was really broken by that.” Without clear goals and sustained commitment, Landovský believes, the tide of the war inevitably turned.

1989, memory and hope under pressure

The conversation is not limited to geopolitics. Landovský also reflects on his own experience of the Velvet Revolution as a teenager and the emotional forces that drive social change. “What’s important in revolutions is the sentiment. It’s not just about reason — it’s about how you feel,” he recalls, pointing to the shared outrage after students were beaten in November 1989.

Jakub Landovský|Photo: Khalil Baalbaki, Czech Radio

Despite today’s instability, he does not end on a pessimistic note. On the contrary, he argues that pressure can bring clarity: “What gives me hope is that our systems work better under stress. Stress doesn’t scare me. It forces us to focus on what really matters — and make it work.”

Don’t miss the full interview with Jakub Landovský in Czechast — listen now on all major podcast platforms.