Pavel in Vilnius: Ukraine likely to have to negotiate on basis of 2023 gains

The Czech president, Petr Pavel, says that Ukraine will probably have to negotiate with Russia on the basis of whatever military successes it achieves this year. Speaking at the start of a NATO summit in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Tuesday, Mr. Pavel said it was realistic to expect that the window of opportunity for Ukraine to gain territory would more or less close by the end of 2023.

The Czech head of state said the Ukrainians were slowly gaining territory and were probably looking for weak points in Russia’s defences, adding that they still had not deployed the significant forces at their disposal.

Mr. Pavel said, however, that the time in which they could move the front was shortening; not only will winter approach – there will also be elections in the US, Russia and Ukraine itself, he said.