Petr Pavel, who will be sworn in as Czech president today, told Le Monde earlier this week that his background gave him an advantage over his opponents in the elections because people are preoccupied with the conflict in Ukraine and think that someone with military experience will be able to guide them to a more secure future. He also told the French daily that it’s almost impossible at this point to talk to the Russian leadership. “How can you talk to someone who is waging a war of aggression, launching missiles at civilian targets almost every day and threatening the world with nuclear apocalypse?” he asked. This came soon  after U.S. Secr. of State Antony Blinken met with his Russian counterpart and the White House notified the Russians that Joe Biden would be visiting Kyiv. If Pavel wants to guide Czechs to a more secure future, he can start by using his experience and authority to bring the Czech public debate more into line with what is actually happening in the world.

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