Czech president Petr Pavel: Ukraine war fatigue weakening NATO unity against Russia

In a GZERO Global Stage discussion at the 79th UN General Assembly, Czechia President Peter Pavel highlighted the evolving dynamics within NATO nearly two years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He acknowledged that initial unity, which surged in response to the shock of the invasion, has waned as war fatigue sets in.

"I had an impression that some representatives of the countries are a little bit tired by always hearing that we need to support Ukraine, and we need to condemn Russian aggression," he said.

President Pavel emphasized that the conflict transcends regional borders, threatening global principles by challenging the UN Security Council's core values. He stressed the need for continued opposition to Russia's aggression, warning that a victory for Russia could embolden similar regimes to pursue military solutions to achieve their aims.

Pavel spoke during GZERO’s Global Stage livestream, “Live from the United Nations: Securing our Digital Future,” an event produced in partnership between the Complex Risk Analytics Fund, or CRAF’d, and GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, sponsored by Microsoft. The Global Stage series convenes heads of state, business leaders, and technology experts from around the world for a critical debate about the geopolitical and technological trends shaping our world. Click here to watch the full conversation.

Watch more from Global Stage.

More from GZERO Media

Annie Gugliotta

After watching the screed-filled mayhem about immigrants eating pets that characterized the Donald Trump-Kamala Harris debate, the VP face-off was like sipping a cold beer in the middle of a heat wave. But something about this new political “decency” beer doesn’t taste right, and it’s causing a massive hangover.

North America faces a growing demand for energy, driven in part by the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and more digital services. In the US, electricity demand to power data centers alone is expected to more than double by 2030. That surging demand is competing for capacity as more people use electricity to heat homes, cook food, and run vehicles. Enbridge sees natural gas as the solution to meet the power gap. It provides a reliable base load power for intermittent renewables like wind and solar. Learn more here.

Canada's Bloc Quebecois leader Yves-Francois Blanchet speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 2, 2024.

REUTERS/Blair Gable

The precarious nature of domestic politics in the Canadian House of Commons looks set to have implications for the mandated renegotiation of the Canada-US-Mexico trade agreement in 2026.

Premier Danielle Smith tours Jasper, Alberta, Canada, in July.

AMBER BRACKEN/Pool via REUTERS

A slightly unhinged school of thought now has it that vapor trails in the sky are sprayed deliberately to poison or control the people below. Enter Alberta Premier Danielle Smith ...

Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller takes part in a press conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 18, 2024.

REUTERS/Blair Gable

Immigration is a key issue in the US election, but it is becoming a divisive issue in Canada too, after decades of a consensus that newcomers are essential to the country’s growth.

Longshoremen carry signs and demonstrate to make their voices heard outside Red Hook Terminal in Brooklyn, New York, on Oct. 2, 2024.
Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto via Reuters

The heavily integrated nature of the US and Canadian economies means a strike by 45,000 members of the International Longshoreman’s Association – involving workers at 36 ports along the East and Gulf coasts – is being watched closely by politicians south and north of the border.