Ukraine's membership in NATO has to be considered after the war with Russia ends, the Czech Republic's president-elect, Petr Pavel, said in an interview.
Speaking with Ukrainian publication Suspilne, the retired general and former senior NATO commander said that Ukraine has "done its homework" on common values, long-term interests, and technical interoperability with the alliance. However, admitting Ukraine now, would make NATO a party to the conflict, which may lead to nuclear war, he said.
Nevertheless, he added that he believes Ukraine deserves to be considered as a new NATO member for meeting alliance standards and defending commonly-held values. He added that the Ukrainian military, which are probably "the most experienced of all," would be a big asset.
Pavel said that the subject of Russia's war was a significant issue for Czech voters, as more than half of the Czech population sees Russia as a real threat.
He cautioned against being overly optimistic, saying it's important to help Ukraine win this year but also be prepared for alternative outcomes, in which the war drags on longer.
