Czech President: Moscow does not seem serious about ceasefire

Russian forces continue to strike civilian targets in Ukraine despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, raising doubts about Moscow’s sincerity in pursuing peace, Czech President Petr Pavel said.

Pavel, who was in Odesa on March 20 during a massive Russian drone attack on the city, stated that he had received advance intelligence about the strikes, which reportedly marked the largest drone assault on Odesa to date. He noted that Russia employed new tactics in the attack.

“Judging by what we are seeing and hearing, there are no signs that Russia is genuinely considering a ceasefire. It appears that the pressure discussed by the US president will be necessary—and it must be significant enough to force Russia to respond,” Pavel said.

On March 21, the Czech president visited a children’s hospital in Kyiv that was hit by a Russian missile strike last year. He stressed that Russia is committing clear war crimes by targeting medical facilities and emergency vehicles.

“What I have heard and what has been documented and presented in The Hague amounts to hundreds of such cases. If someone attacks defenseless people receiving treatment, it is a clear act of barbarism—there is no other word for it,” Pavel stated.