Czech Republic is first country where Ukraine was one of key issues in defining voters' preferences in presidential election - journalist Khotyn

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"In the Czech Republic, the majority of the population is relieved because the 10 years of Miloš Zeman's presidency have been dragging on for a long time, given his age, health problems, and so on. Now there will be a person in the presidency who at least not make the citizens ashamed. The Czechs are even proud that a four-star NATO general will be the head of their state," the journalist noted.

Rostyslav Khotyn added that the Czechs also feel proud that for the first time in many years they have elected the person they wanted.

"It is also interesting that the issue of Ukraine was very topical, i.e. one of the key points on which people shared their sympathies for Petr Pavel or Andrej Babiš was Ukraine, Russian aggression against Ukraine, and assistance to Ukraine. It was the first presidential election in a country in Central and Eastern Europe, and in the EU as a whole, where the issue of Ukraine was dominant and it determined who people would vote for. The Czech Republic was the first country where the Ukrainian issue divided voters and was one of the key litmus tests in defining their sympathies," Khotyn commented.

• On January 28, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Petr Pavel on his victory in the Czech presidential election.

• Petr Pavel, the winner of the Czech presidential election, and Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová plan a joint trip to Ukraine.