Our common purpose is, over time, to do for Eastern Europe what NATO has already helped to do for Western Europe. “We will continue to steadily and systematically erase the line drawn in Europe by Stalin's bloody boot,” US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said twenty-five years ago, welcoming the first new NATO members since the end of the cold war.
Unfortunately, today in Europe a new line is being drawn: a dictator with a different name who, however, is not ashamed of committing the same atrocious crimes as the previous one.
Twenty-five years ago on March 12, Czechia, Poland and Hungary became the first countries from the former Eastern Bloc to join NATO. This event changed the course of history for the Czech Republic and for NATO.
The successful integration of the three countries into NATO policies and structures helped open the door to other countries in central, eastern and southeastern Europe. Already in 2002 a NATO summit was held in Prague in which a new enlargement was decided.
NATO's expansion into central and eastern Europe was of greater importance and urgency than its architects could have imagined. What would Europe be like today if Western leaders had taken ten years to reflect on it? What if Czechia, led by Václav Havel, had not made use of its newly acquired freedom, its political capital and its determination to join the West? Perhaps NATO would never have found the courage to commit to the defense of Europe. Perhaps today we would fear that Western fatigue with Central Europe would prevail and that, in the interests of peace, the West would accept Russian influence or its control of Riga, Warsaw and even Prague? We demonstrate our strong commitment to shared security through our daily diplomatic efforts, our active participation in both current and historical allied operations, such as those in the Western Balkans and the Middle East, and our unwavering support for the defense of Ukraine, with initiatives such as the recent ammunition program.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and subsequent escalation in 2022 served as a reminder of NATO's essential role in collective defense. We now prepare for a new chapter in the history of the NATO Alliance. Ukraine, which has bravely confronted the Russian army, finds itself in a disconcerting situation. Despite not being part of NATO or the EU, Ukraine has sacrificed more for Western values than any other country since World War II. We must not give up on our partner. We must offer you credible security guarantees.
In today's world, as authoritarian regimes pose threats to our security and way of life, we are witnessing the consequences of a lack of rules. As questions arise about the cohesion and future of the Alliance in Europe and the US, it is clear that a stronger NATO is essential now more than ever. It is necessary to act. Waiting until a problem seems easier often leads to a dead end. Since 1999, Czechia has stood shoulder to shoulder with its Allies, and together we will move forward, paving the way.
