Europe according to President Pavel faces pressure from the East and the West, must rely on itself

Warsaw – Europe is currently facing pressure from the East and the West, and to stand its ground on the global stage, it must rely on itself. This was stated by Czech President Petr Pavel at the economic forum held on the occasion of the Three Seas Initiative summit in Warsaw. Representatives of countries from the Baltic to the Black and Adriatic Seas are discussing improving transport connectivity in the region and strengthening military mobility.

“We are facing military pressure from the East and political and economic pressure from the West,” Pavel said in connection with the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the trade policy of U.S. President Donald Trump.

“This pressure could finally lead us to realize that we should not rely on anyone and that we have enough potential ourselves,” the Czech president stated, noting that Europe usually works better under pressure. He warned that if the continent does not act united, it will completely lose significance on the global stage.

The Three Seas Initiative was launched by Poland and Croatia ten years ago with the aim of improving the infrastructure of Central and Eastern Europe, which has been neglected after decades of communist rule. Among the projects that the Three Seas Initiative focuses on are the construction of the Via Baltica highway and the Rail Baltica railway line, which is intended to connect Finland through the Baltic states and Poland to the railway network in Western Europe. Energy interconnectors and terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) are being developed. The Czech Republic emphasizes the high-speed rail line between Brno, Přerov, Ostrava, and the Polish border, which should strengthen not only transport connections with Poland but also with the Baltic states. (April 29)