Russian tactics aimed at dividing Europe are bearing fruit, Czech government warns

Russian efforts to undermine European unity and security are having some effect, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský told the country's ambassadors on Monday (26 August), as Prime Minister Petr Fiala called for a deeper discussion on how to counter these threats.

Lipavský (Pirates, Greens/EFA) spoke at the annual meeting of Czech ambassadors on Monday, highlighting the Russian threat.

"Our unity in this support is crucial for Ukraine. We know this, and so does Russia, which is why it continuously tries to weaken the unity of our societies," Lipavský warned.

In other words, maintaining European unity is vital not just for Ukraine but for the whole continent.

The minister also acknowledged that Russia's efforts to undermine this unity have gone beyond the theoretical and have already borne some fruit.

"In our region, unfortunately, Moscow has achieved some promising results for itself," he admitted, pointing to the effectiveness of Russian strategies in exploiting political divisions and social tensions, particularly in Central Europe, where he admitted political polarisation is particularly intense.

"Finding ways to enhance social cohesion and resilience will be a significant challenge for all democratically-minded politicians in the coming period," he added.

These sentiments were echoed by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR), who also attended the ambassador’s meeting.

"Alongside our partners, we cannot avoid a deeper discussion on how to approach those countries where Russian influence has reached a level that threatens not only the unity of the EU or NATO but also our security," said Fiala, without mentioning specific countries but calling for a realistic and pragmatic approach.

Fiala also underlined Czech efforts to enforce stricter security measures, such as restricting the movement of Russian diplomats to the country where they obtained visas. As Euractiv has previously reported, Czechia has repeatedly proposed such restrictions, but to no avail.

In contrast to the Czech position, Hungary is easing entry conditions for Russian and Belarusian citizens.

Hungary recently introduced a simplified visa regime, allowing Russians and Belarusians to enter the country with minimal security checks. The move has raised concerns among neighbouring countries and EU officials, who fear it could open a backdoor for Russian spies into the European Union.

However, Hungary has dismissed any concerns, claiming that the security of the Schengen area is guaranteed.

[Edited by Daniel Eck and Martina Monti]