Czech Parliament Discusses European Security, Opens Exhibition on the War

He emphasized:

“We are in the Czech parliament conducting a political discourse for the public, the media, and politicians. It is important for us to know how Ukraine envisions the future international order, how it intends to end the war, and what its consequences will be for Europe and the world.”

Who took part and what was discussed at the conference

Ukrainian diplomats, Czech officials, international experts, researchers, and civil society representatives took part in the event. Pavel Žáček said that three main topics were discussed during the event: Ukraine’s fight and the assistance provided to it by Czech civic organizations; the resilience needed not only by Ukraine but also by the Czech Republic; and the situation in the Pacific region.

“We are discussing how to support the modernization of our army and strengthen activities on NATO’s eastern flank and the EU’s eastern border. It is very important that our citizens are prepared, given Ukraine’s bloody experience.”

The participation of the Ukrainian delegation in the conference at the Czech parliament was another opportunity to remind European partners of the urgency of decisions regarding Russia and the need to strengthen support for Ukraine. According to Volodymyr Yelchenko, head of international policy research at the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, Europe is increasingly aware that Russian aggression will not be limited to Ukraine, and that the security of the entire continent directly depends on the ability to contain the Kremlin.

“We managed to help our Czech colleagues and representatives of other countries better understand that Europe no longer has time for endless discussions about what to do next with Russia. We have been saying this since 2014: Russia will not stop at Ukraine and will continue moving forward. The greater the assistance to Ukraine and the tougher the economic blockade of Russia, the sooner the moment will come when it can no longer continue the war. If this event helped us secure the support of at least some Czech deputies, then we are moving in the right direction,” emphasized Volodymyr Yelchenko.

Ukraine — the defense line of the free world

Ihor Kharchenko, chief consultant of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine, took part in the discussion dedicated to the resilience of Ukrainian society. He emphasized that the full-scale war has become a turning point not only for Ukraine but for the whole of modern European history, and that Ukraine’s experience of resistance is already shaping a new understanding of security in Europe and the world.

“Today, Ukraine is the epicenter of historical events and, I would say, a turning point in modern European history. Our capacity for resistance makes us the center of this process. We often forget that we are not a small country — historically we are a great European state with a thousand-year history. And everything that has accumulated within us over a thousand years, our ability to resist, is manifested today in this struggle. In fact, we are the defense line of the free world. At the same time, Ukraine is contributing not only to its own security but to the security of the region, Europe, and the world. This contribution cannot be measured in any currency, because what is happening in Ukraine now will be studied by generations to come.”

Texty.org.ua research on Russian disinformation in the Czech Republic

Particular attention during the second panel of the conference was paid to the resilience of democratic societies to Russian influence and the Kremlin’s information operations. During the event, Roman Kulchytskyi, editor-in-chief of “Texty.org.ua,” presented a study by journalists on Russian narratives in the Czech media space, prepared with the participation of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation. The media researchers examined more than 165,000 publications from 21 Czech websites that spread propagandistic and destructive content. 66% of the publications on these online outlets contained at least one propagandistic narrative. In total, 55 such narratives were identified across seven thematic groups: the war in Ukraine, Russia, the U.S., Europe, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and international events.

“We showed the systematic nature of the spread of Russian disinformation in the Czech Republic and explained how exactly it spreads. It seems to me that the Czech Republic lacks research on how Russian disinformation actually works in this country. I watched the audience’s reaction, and I think they were struck by the data we presented. It’s very good that people whose opinions are listened to heard this data,” noted Roman Kulchytskyi.

Exhibition “War. Made in Russia” at the Czech Parliament

In addition to the discussion program, the exhibition “War. Made in Russia”, which tells the story of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, was presented in the building of the Czech parliament.

The exhibition helps to critically reflect on the causes of Russian aggression and its destructive consequences, and to preserve the memory of what happens to people’s ordinary lives when war comes to their home. The exhibition features works that tell the story of human losses, destruction, and the experience of Ukrainian society during the full-scale Russian invasion.

Vasyl Zvarych, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Czech Republic, emphasized:

“It is important to talk about what is happening in Ukraine, including the crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine, in order to further consolidate and mobilize international support for Ukraine, since Ukraine today is defending not only itself but the whole of Europe, and above all the values on which Europe is built. The exhibits presented at the exhibition will serve as additional argumentation for Czech society as to why we must all unite today to put an end to Russian neo-imperialism.”

The exhibits were provided by the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II. The exhibition is also complemented by reproductions from the collection of the Museum of the Liberation Struggle of Ukraine in Prague, which operated from 1925 to 1945, and photographs by Ukrainian documentary photographers Kostiantyn and Vlada Liberov.

“It is extremely important for people in Europe, who are very far from the war, to literally sense the smell with which these exhibits are imbued. The exhibition does not talk about general things; instead, it is dedicated to specific people, because war means names — every specific person who died for Ukraine, for its values, and every person who is fighting cannot leave viewers indifferent,” added Rostyslav Prokopiuk, director of the Ukrainian Institute in Prague.

After a one-day display at the Czech parliament, the exhibition will continue in the city of Marianske Lazne, where its official opening will take place on June 30. The exhibition was organized by the Ukrainian Institute in Prague, the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, and the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II.

Photos and videos for media are available at the link.