Czech president urges Nato to show its teeth' over Russia's provocations

Petr Pavel urged NATO to respond forcefully to Russia’s repeated tests of the alliance’s resolve on its eastern flank. He suggested options that could include disrupting internet access, cutting banks off from global financial systems, and shooting down jets that violate allied airspace. He warned that insufficient responses could encourage the Kremlin to intensify actions. Pavel emphasized the need for NATO members to adopt a firm line toward Russia and noted that Moscow has learned NATO’s operating patterns while staying just below the threshold for Article 5. He said Russian military leaders have at times mocked NATO’s decision-making paralysis. He expressed frustration about limited determination from the United States to keep pushing on Russia, while avoiding direct criticism of Donald Trump.

"Petr Pavel urged Nato to show its teeth in response to Russia's repeated testing of the alliance's resolve on its eastern flank, suggesting a range of options including switching off its internet, cutting off its banks from global financial systems and shooting down jets that violate allied airspace. Speaking to the Guardian in Prague, Pavel called for decisive enough, potentially even asymmetric responses to counter Moscow's provocative behaviour against the alliance or risk the Kremlin intensifying its actions."

"Pavel called for decisive enough, potentially even asymmetric responses to counter Moscow's provocative behaviour against the alliance or risk the Kremlin intensifying its actions. He expressed frustration with a lack of determination to keep pushing from the United States on Russia, although he steered clear of direct criticism of Donald Trump despite the US president continuing to cast doubt on the future of Washington's commitments to the alliance."

"After its illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, he said he said Moscow had learned how Nato operated and developed a behaviour style to almost meet the threshold for Article 5, but always keeping it slightly below that level. Article 5 of the Nato treaty states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all members."

"Pavel said Russian military leaders laughed at times at the alliance's decision-making paralysis. When I asked them why do"

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