Czech foreign minister highlights lack of European leadership, failure to ‘project geopolitical power’

UNITED NATIONS, New York – Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, during an interview with Fox News Digital, bemoaned that Europe now struggles to impact geopolitical issues and lacks clear leadership in the over two dozen member bloc. 

“I think it’s a clear show that Europe has lost its ability to project geopolitical power, especially into Africa and the Middle East, because we are basically not able to do any kind of measures to stop this irregular migration,” Lipavsky said. 

“When somebody who really has no right for asylum is in Europe, there are no true mechanisms … so they will need to put more effort into that, definitely,” he added. 

Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic, sits in the middle of Europe and still considers itself the continent’s “natural crossroads,” which places it in a unique position to discuss matters regarding immigration and conflicts on the border. 

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Despite that prominent perspective, Lipavsky noted that “the leadership must come from the big” countries, as “that’s how things are done in international politics.” 

Lipavsky argued that this lack of leadership has made the conflict between Ukraine and Russia more difficult, but he admitted the war helped waken the bloc’s members to certain issues they had ignored. 

“We have rediscovered our ability, at least in the east, to protect Ukraine, but, still, we need to do more, honestly,” Lipavsky said. “I would not say it’s a dire situation, but certainly the lack of leadership also could be visible.” 

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“As minister of foreign affairs from Czechia, I’m trying to come up with proposals. I’m trying to call for common action,” he continued. “For example, we are delivering a lot of ammunition to Ukraine. We have this ammunition initiative.” 

“Those are hundreds, thousands of shells, which then make a difference on the battlefields – more than words,” he added.   

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, left, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul attend a meeting of the North Atlantic Council with Indo-Pacific partners at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels on April 4, 2024. (Reuters/Johanna Geron/Pool)

Lipavsky framed the current state of international politics as one of “global confrontation,” with conflicts across multiple regions that impact all nations due to their effects on everything from energy to food supplies and general shipping.

“We see many conflicts in the Middle East,” Lipavsky said. “It’s not only Gaza or now Lebanon, where the north of Israel is being shelled by rockets for many months, but it is also the navigation in Red Sea, which is being endangered by Houthis, and those are supported by Iran.”

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“This is a very complex matter, and we need to de-escalate,” he added. “We need to put a lot of effort into peace, but also not forget that Israel has a right to defend itself.” 

Czechia earlier this year voted against the Palestinian States gaining expanded powers in the United Nations and last week was one of 14 countries that voted against a Palestinian-drafted resolution that adopted the International Court of Justice opinion that demanded Israel leave Gaza and the West Bank. Lipavsky explained that the resolution “skewed in one direction,” which was “a very basic reason to vote against” the resolution. 

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, left, and Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speak following their meeting at the Czernin Palace, in Prague on May 30, 2024. (Petr David Josek/Pool via Reuters)

However, he stressed that Russia remains “definitely” the most important crisis facing Czechia and other European countries. 

“Russia wants to destroy the complete Ukrainian nation. They want to include them into Russia and … It’s like Hitler during the World War. It’s absolutely similar,” Lipavsky insisted. 

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“We know that we used to be in a sphere of influence of Soviet Union during Czechoslovakia … after the Second World War until the fall of the Berlin Wall,” he said. “I don’t want to happen to Czechia again that some dictator will tell us what to do and what to not and to exploit us. 

“So we have to defend from this, from this Russian trust, and then of course, to be a good ally to U.S., and good to NATO,” he added.