The Ukraine war has the potential to escalate into a war in Europe between Russia and NATO, Czech Chief of the General Staff Karel Řehka said in Prague on Tuesday.
That is "not inconceivable," Řehka said, warning also that his country's professional army was not equipped for this outcome. "We don't even have basic things in order."
Omissions had to be made up for in all areas, from the firepower of the troops to the mobility of the artillery to questions of logistics and command structures. In case of the immediate threat of war, mobilization would be inevitable, the 48-year-old stressed in comments reported by Czech media.
Speaking alongside him, Czech Defence Minister Jana Cernochova accused the preceding governments of the past 30 years of having "overslept" in the field of defence.
"We need an army for the 21st century," Cernochova said in a speech to the command staff.
She positively highlighted the exchange of military equipment with Germany and Ukraine, in the course of which the Czech Republic will receive 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks and one armoured recovery vehicle. In the long term, the purchase of the latest generation of tanks is planned.
"This could be, for example, the latest Leopard 2A7 version," said the minister.
The Czech Republic has been a NATO member since 1999. Since its abolition of compulsory military service in 2004, the country has had a professional army with currently around 27,000 active soldiers.
The Czech Republic is one of Ukraine's main supporters in its fight against invading Russian forces, having now provided Kyiv with €200 million ($213 million) in military aid since the war began on February 24 last year.
Defence companies supplied further goods worth the equivalent of more than €2 billion.
