Fiala, echoing other leaders in Central and Eastern Europe, stressed the importance of acting promptly to strengthen the continent’s defense architecture in face of the apparent Russian threat.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has warned that Russia’s expansionist ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, saying that even if a ceasefire is reached in the embattled country, Moscow will be ready to pursue further aggression in the region in the coming years.

Many countries along the EU and NATO’s eastern flank view Russia’s nearly three-and-a-half-year war in Ukraine as an existential threat to their security and have repeatedly warned that any peace deal favoring Moscow could embolden the Kremlin.

Speaking at a briefing with Czech ambassadors on Monday, Fiala said: “Russian ambitions do not stop at the borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine.“Even if some kind of ceasefire is achieved now, which we all undoubtedly hope for, if the right steps are not taken, Russia will be ready for further expansion within a few years.

”Russia has reportedly demanded that Ukraine cede its eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as part of any peace deal, having previously formally annexed the territories, along with two other provinces, despite only partially occupying them. Kyiv has consistently ruled out officially ceding any land to Moscow.

Continuing, Fiala said that there is no other response to the direct threat posed by Russia than consistent deterrence and strengthening defensive resilience.

The Czech prime minister also stressed the need for concrete security guarantees for Ukraine.

Kyiv and its European allies have repeatedly pushed for robust guarantees in any peace deal, saying they are essential to deter Russia, which annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022.

Many European nations, including France, Britain, Lithuania and Estonia, have indicated their willingness to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

However, Moscow has repeatedly rejected the idea of stationing European troops in Ukraine, with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying last week that it would amount to “foreign military intervention.”

Russia is also opposed to Ukraine’s accession to NATO, which could offer a solid guarantee to the country, as the military bloc’s Article Five treats an attack on one member state as an attack on all.

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