Final Word from Monday, June 3, 2024
Foreign Min. Jan Lipavský apparently first spoke about containing Russia two years ago, and he returned to it in a tweet last Tues. and then again at the informal meeting of Nato foreign ministers in Prague on Fri. The CR, according to Lipavský, "would welcome a consistent strategy to contain Russia within Nato." He presented it as his own idea, but he didn't say what he meant. Does he want to contain Russia within Ukrainian borders so it doesn't go into Nato; within the current battle lines; or within the pre-2014 borders? The difference is huge. Outgoing Portuguese Amb. Luís de Almeida Sampaio wrote in a paper in Dec., From Deterrence to Containment, that the future of the international rules-based order is at stake. Lipavský complained to Právo in March that it's not easy having a debate about a common strategy for Ukraine, because there are major world players in Nato and the EU who don't want a wide debate. He's pushing them now toward one of Nato's most important decisions ever. [ Czech Republic deter Portugal Pirates on X ]
Glossary of difficult words
to contain - to prevent from spreading or intensifying;
deterrence - the action of discouraging an action or event through instilling doubt or fear of the consequences;
containment - the action or policy of preventing the expansion of a hostile country or influence.