“There used to be a wall in Europe. This wall separated freedom from oppression, truth from propaganda, and the future from the past. This wall no longer stands in Berlin, it stands in Ukraine,” said Macinka in a speech marking four years since Russia invaded Ukraine.
“It has the form of the front line, occupied cities. It has the form of children who learn to recognize the sound of rockets even before they learn to read and write,” added Macinka.
He then continued his analogy when he stated that just as US President Ronald Reagan once called on his Soviet counterpart Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall, Putin should also be called on to end the war.
“This war is not only about territory, but about basic principles where nations have the right to decide on their own future, where their fate is not determined by force of arms,” said the Czech foreign minister.
According to Macinka, the issue in Ukraine is whether we return to the old world of spheres of influence and occupation. “Ukraine today is not only defending itself, but defending the very idea that sovereignty matters,” said Macinka and also mentioned that the Czech Republic knows from history what it means when the fate of the country is decided by others. “We know that aggression and concessions to this aggression do not bring peace.”
“History teaches us one lesson. No occupation lasts forever, no one stands here forever and no army can break the will of a nation that has decided to be free,” continued Macinka.
In conclusion, he stated that he was sorry that the Russian representative left the room before the speeches. Macinka would like him to tell the Russian people to end the war. “Not as a gesture of weakness, but as a step towards responsibility.”
