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Czech President Petr Pavel is among the 28 most influential people who will co-determine the character of Europe in 2024, according to the Brussels-based website Politico.

In a brief profile of the Czech head of state Politico describes Petr Pavel as an arch hawk when it comes to both Russia and China, who has given his full-throated support to Ukraine in the face of Russia’s invasion, using his knowledge of NATO’s inner workings.

It also points out that the Czech president is using his experience as former head of NATO's military committee to advocate for more effective support for Kyiv.

Other politicians on the list include for example French President Emmanuel Macron, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

The training of Ukrainian soldiers in Czechia can continue next year. The proposal was approved by the lower house of the Czech parliament on Tuesday, also thanks to the votes of the opposition ANO party. The lower house also agreed to extend most of the missions of Czech soldiers abroad, as proposed by the government. The Senate gave its necessary approval three weeks ago.

According to the Czech Defence Minister Jana Černochová, some 3,500 Ukrainian soldiers had been trained in Czechia to date and another 500 had been trained by Czech instructors in Poland. Speaking to the members of the lower house, the minister said the missions will reinforce Czechia’s position as a "responsible ally and partner".

Fresh snow is complicating traffic around Czechia on Tuesday, especially in the west and north-west parts of the country.

Although maintenance crews have been working around the clock there may be snow drifts and ice on less frequented roads. A number of train lines were also halted as a result of fallen trees and some 30,000 households were without power in the morning as a result of the heavy snowfall.

The mountain regions saw some 15 centimetres fall during the night and more snow is expected during the day. Weather experts have also warned against icy conditions caused by a sudden rise in temperatures, expected later on Tuesday.

Italy shares the same view on supporting Ukraine as Czechia, President Petr Pavel told reporters after a meeting with his counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Tuesday, adding that the military and financial aid for the country will continue.

The Czech head of state, who is visiting Italy along with a delegation of around 30 Czech businesspeople, also held a speech at the NATO Defence College in Rome, in which he said Russia presents the most significant and immediate threat to European security and to Czechia’s allies in NATO.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Pavel paid a visit to the Czech Embassy in Rome. He said Italy and Czechia were linked not only by historical and cultural relations, but also by significant trade exchanges and agreement on a number of issues, including foreign policy and economic issues.