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Opening remarks by Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Karel Řehka

Ministry of Defence & Armed Forces of the Czech Republic

14.9.2024
Author: nato.int

NATO's highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, meets from 13 to 14 September 2024, in Prague, Czech Republic. During the in-person meeting, the Chiefs of Defence discuss military strategic developments within the Alliance. Find attached the opening remarks by Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Karel Řehka

(As delivered)

Mr. President, Admiral Bauer, Distinguished Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my great honour, as Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Armed Forces, to welcome all of you for the first meeting of the NATO Military Committee in the Czech Republic.

It is a notable moment for us that Chiefs of Defence of allied countries have come to Prague to discuss the challenges requiring our immediate attention, and of course, also the future of NATO´s collective defence.

The recent NATO Summit laid out a clear path for our Alliance as we confront a rapidly evolving security landscape.

The threats we face are becoming more complex, and our responsibility as military leaders is to ensure that the strategic decisions are translated into action.

One of the principal challenges we have been facing is the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.

For Ukraine it is a war for survival. But it is also a fight for the principles of democracy, sovereignty and territorial integrity that NATO exists to defend.

It is imperative that we, at the top of our militaries, provide all necessary assistance to Ukraine, be it in the form of training or supplying weapons and other military equipment.

By supporting Ukraine, we are also strengthening our unity and containing the Russian threat.

However, it is not only the conventional battlefield where Russia is active. We remember very well when their agents killed two Czech citizens at an ammunition storage site in 2014.

Russia is now increasing the use of hybrid tactics - cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and even kinetic acts of violence.

All these actions are designed to sow fear and undermine the unity of our societies.

We must, therefore, take a broad approach, one that integrates our conventional military capabilities with robust cyber defences and strong civil-military cooperation.

We must ensure that our military forces, institutions and societies are ready to confront this blend of physical, digital and cognitive warfare.

The Czech Republic has drawn important lessons from the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

We have revised our national strategies and defence plans to better address the threats.

We have elaborated our national Vision of Future Warfare beyond 2040, accelerated the modernization of our armed forces, recognizing the need for state-of-the-art capabilities.

These actions reflect our deep commitment to national and collective defence, and our understanding of the lessons Ukraine has taught us all: we must be resilient, prepared, resolute, and forward-thinking.

Last, but not least, we have made the crucial decision to spend at least 2% of our GDP on defence.

However, as new challenges and requirements come to the spotlight, it is evident, that 2% of GDP on defence spending will not be enough.

This week we have reminded ourselves of the horrible events of 9/11 23 years ago.

Unfortunately, international terrorism continues to pose a significant threat to NATO and the broader security environment.

It is increasingly linked to wider issues such as migration, particularly to our Southern Neighbourhood and the Middle East, where instability and conflict drive mass movements of people, sometimes exploited by terrorist organizations to infiltrate or destabilize nations.

This requires our collective, far-reaching and actionable approach.

As military professionals, we must stay ahead of the evolving challenges by continually improving our coordination, enhancing our technological capabilities, and fostering greater interoperability between our forces.

Let me restate what I have said in the past. All our defensive preparations are in principle made to avoid a military conflict.

Lasting peace cannot be achieved through concessions. That doesn't work. On the contrary, it encourages the possibility of escalation. That is why robust deterrence is so important.

Our collective deterrence posture demonstrates our readiness and resolve to execute our plans, ensuring that any adversary knows that NATO is ready to defend every inch of its territory decisively and without hesitation.

And the Czech Armed Forces are a firm part of this endeavor.

In closing, I once again welcome you to the Czech Republic and I look forward to our discussions today.

Thank you.