**Czech Republic Ready to Send Troops to Ukraine**
The Czech President, Petr Pavel, has said that his country is ready to send troops to a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. This was announced on March 22.
President Pavel met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on March 21. They discussed European-led security guarantees for Ukraine and cooperation in defense production. The previous day, Pavel visited Odesa, where Russia launched a drone attack that injured three people.
Pavel said that the Czech Republic should be part of any coalition providing security guarantees to Ukraine. He also stated that NATO membership should not be an obstacle to achieving peace, but should remain on the table for Ukraine’s future consideration.
The Czech President expressed his country’s willingness to work with Ukraine on reconstruction and military cooperation. He also emphasized that Russia is still a major threat to European security.
Pavel predicted that the conflict in Ukraine would likely end with Russia occupying some Ukrainian territory, but not recognizing Russian sovereignty over those areas.
**Background**
The Czech Republic has been a strong ally of Ukraine throughout Russia’s invasion. The two countries signed a 10-year bilateral security deal in July 2024.