Czech President Petr Pavel has called on Nato to adopt a more assertive stance against Russian provocations, urging the alliance to "show its teeth" and consider asymmetric responses including shooting down violator aircraft, disabling internet access, and severing Russian banks from global financial systems.
Pavel's Call for Decisive Action
In an interview with the Guardian in Prague, Pavel emphasized the need for "decisive enough, potentially even asymmetric" measures to counter Moscow's testing of Nato's eastern flank. A retired general and former chair of the Nato military committee, Pavel is one of few European leaders with direct military experience. His years on the suspended Nato-Russia council lend weight to his warnings about the alliance's vulnerabilities.
Pavel expressed frustration with what he described as "a lack of determination to keep pushing from the United States on Russia," though he avoided direct criticism of President Donald Trump. He previously told Czech media that Trump had done more to undermine Nato's credibility than Vladimir Putin, but now believes "any direct criticism of the United States will help at this point."
Russian Tactics Below Article 5 Threshold
Since Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, Moscow has developed a pattern of provocations that remain just below the threshold for invoking Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one member is an attack against all. Pavel recounted that Russian military leaders laughed at Nato's decision-making paralysis, saying they conduct provocative actions "because we can."
Recent incidents include a Nato jet shooting down a drone over Estonia, believed to be a Ukrainian unit redirected by Russian electronic warfare. Similar events have disrupted life in Latvia and Lithuania. Russia accuses Baltic states of aiding Ukrainian drone attacks, which they deny.
Asymmetric Measures and Stronger Response
Pavel argued that if violations of Nato airspace continue, the alliance must consider shooting down aircraft, whether manned or unmanned. He also proposed asymmetric measures "that are not killing people, but are sensitive enough to make Russia understand." Examples include disabling internet or satellite services—highlighting Starlink's battlefield impact—and cutting Russian banks from the financial system.
Echoing Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Pavel warned that failure to respond to current violations would likely lead to escalation. Russia's doctrine includes "escalate to de-escalate," suggesting that any leniency will be exploited.
Need for US and European Unity
Pavel insisted Ukraine needs more pressure and determination from the United States, urging US negotiators like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to tie sanctions relief to a peace settlement. He criticized Europe for failing to define its own policy toward Russia, saying "we mostly wait for what comes from Washington." He believes the best moment to push Russia was last year during its economic and military struggles, but the US-Israeli war on Iran boosted Russian oil revenues.
Despite Russia's difficult position, Pavel called for a "final push" on sanctions to force negotiations: "If you want to get rid of sanctions... the condition is clear—ceasefire and negotiation on peace in Ukraine."
Domestic Dispute Over Nato Summit
Domestically, Pavel is locked in a constitutional dispute with Prime Minister Andrej Babiš over who should represent the Czech Republic at the upcoming Nato summit in Ankara. Critics accuse Pavel of acting as an opposition figure ahead of a possible 2028 re-election bid, but he insists it is "a matter of principle" on the president's role. He has offered a compromise: he would attend informal debates while the government handles defence spending discussions. An avid biker and rock fan, Pavel joked that if excluded, he could attend a ZZ Top concert instead—but would gladly miss it for the summit.
