Czech President Pavel explains why this year is decisive for war in Ukraine and why next year will be more difficult

The politician said this in an interview with the Corriere della Sera.

"This winter will be extremely difficult because much of Ukraine's infrastructure was destroyed, and even with our help, they (Ukrainians - ed.) have not been able to repair everything. It will be hard for the population, and due to the hesitation of the countries that are now supporting Ukraine, the feeling of disappointment will grow. And this, of course, creates a not very favorable situation for continuing counter-offensive operations," Pavel said.

"Winter will give Russia, which has already managed to put its industry on war footing, time to recover. They are producing much more large-caliber ammunition, more tanks, they are recruiting more soldiers. They are negotiating with several countries for supplies: North Korea has a potential of 1 million artillery shells. If we lose the opportunity to maintain support for Ukraine, next year could be even more favorable for Moscow. This year is crucial to lay the foundations for success, next year will be more difficult," he added.

According to him, sooner or later Ukraine will come to the point of starting peace talks with Russia, but this should happen on Kyiv's terms, not Moscow's.

• On February 1, Pavel said that Ukraine deserves to become a NATO member after the war, as its army is currently the most experienced in Europe. 
• Later, he also called for Ukraine to be provided with fighter jets, but only after training.
• On November 24, Pavel said that the Ukrainian army's counteroffensive was not developing as the Ukrainians themselves expected. In his opinion, the West's provision of weapons is slow and in much smaller quantities than needed.