Marshall Plan for Ukraine: Czech President Pavel's proposal

Czech President Petr Pavel has proposed that Europe prepare a reconstruction programme for postwar Ukraine modelled on the Marshall Plan, which helped rebuild European economies after the Second World War. In his words, European governments are focused above all on how to end the war and are barely discussing the problems that will arise once it is over.

The problems no one talks about

Pavel drew attention to the hundreds of thousands of people who have spent several years fighting, have received military training and have access to weapons. When the war ends, there may be no place for them in civilian life, and that will be a serious challenge.

“The moment the war ends, there will undoubtedly be enormous relief, but there will also be many problems that we are not talking about at all today and are not at all prepared for,” Pavel said.

What the Marshall Plan was

In the head of state’s view, Europe could draw on the experience of the Marshall Plan. It was a US programme of economic aid to European countries after the Second World War, meant to rebuild shattered economies and stabilise Europe. The programme ran from 1948. The countries of the Eastern Bloc, including Czechoslovakia, did not take part under pressure from the Soviet Union.

Such a step, the Czech president added, would also be a clear signal to Russia that Europe takes Ukraine’s fate seriously.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz