Pavel Tells UN General Assembly: Great Powers Must Follow the Same Rules as Everyone Else

Czech President Petr Pavel addressed the UN General Assembly in New York with a speech that took aim at the permanent members of the Security Council, above all Russia and China. International rules, he argued, only mean something if everyone abides by them — especially states powerful enough to break them.

"Russian aggression continues to bring suffering to the Ukrainian people, and the risks grow by the day. Russia's aggressive stance poses a direct threat to European security," Pavel said. He called for raising the cost of the war for Russia while still leaving room for genuine diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. China, in his view, should use its influence to help end wars and ease tensions, starting with Ukraine.

A world order under strain

In a speech lasting roughly fifteen minutes, the president stressed the importance of a multilateral approach to solving humanity's shared problems. The world order established after the Second World War, he said, is under pressure to change, but the future must still be built on its founding principles.

"The task is not to resist change, but to carry it out peacefully. Our goal is to avoid war and destruction and to build a predictable international order capable of adapting to change while preserving fairness and stability," Pavel said. The UN, he emphasized, must remain a platform for dialogue between rival states, since most of today's challenges are global in nature and no single country can tackle them alone.

The danger of uncontrolled artificial intelligence

The president also devoted part of his speech to climate change and the regulation of artificial intelligence, both of which he said demand collective solutions. "Our ability to govern these technologies is not keeping pace with the speed of their development. Artificial intelligence could bring enormous benefits to humanity, but without real safeguards it could also cause tremendous harm," Pavel noted, adding that the choice is between innovation guided by rules and innovation driven by the logic of confrontation.

The president also reminded delegates that Czechia is seeking a seat on the UN Security Council for 2032–2033, and will be competing with Armenia for the two-thirds majority needed among the organization's 193 member states. If elected, the country has pledged to actively support conflict prevention and resolution, humanitarian aid, the protection of civilians and critical infrastructure, as well as human rights and democracy.

Pavel arrived in New York on Sunday together with Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (of the Motorists party). The two are holding a series of meetings with international partners while in the city, and on Thursday the president is also due to travel to the US state of Nebraska.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz