Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear guests,

welcome to Prague Castle for this traditional gathering on the upcoming Czech National Day. I am especially pleased to welcome those of you who have only recently taken up your posts - and I wish you every success in your important work.

Tomorrow will mark 28^th October - a day when we look back with gratitude and pride to the birth of independent Czechoslovakia. It is a day to reflect on the choices that shaped our freedom: courage over resignation, responsibility over indifference.

Last year, I spoke about the importance of fair play, using the metaphor of sport to remind us that it is rules and respect that should guide relations between nations. I emphasized that our country continued to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom, stood with those defending international law, and sought cooperation instead of division.

The past twelve months have tested whether our principles hold when circumstances become harder. I am proud that Czechia has remained consistent, standing firmly on the side of those who defend law, truth and dialogue.

Since we last met here, the world has not become any simpler. People everywhere are facing uncertainty – from disinformation campaigns to the accelerating impacts of AI or climate change. Yet, amid these challenges, there have been fragile flashes of progress.

In the Middle East, moments of hope have emerged - the release of all living hostages and the first steps toward implementing a peace framework that could finally end the cycle of violence and open a path to lasting stability. I wish I could say the same about Russia. Sadly, we see no willingness to engage in genuine search for peace. On the contrary, Moscow has intensified attacks on civilians across Ukraine.

Clearly, Russia remains a fundamental challenge to Europe’s security, freedom, and democracy. Through its aggression and hybrid warfare, it seeks to reassert influence across Eastern and Central Europe. Recent violations of European airspace show that Putin’s willingness to escalate is only growing. That is why unity remains our strongest defence. Europe has learned, often painfully, that weakness and division embolden those who threaten peace and stability.

We must continue to stand with Ukraine, deter any attempt to test NATO’s resolve, keep adopting targeted and coordinated sanctions that are key to bring Russia to the negotiating table, and strengthen the resilience that keeps our societies free and cohesive.

Our focus on security is not about preparing for war – it is about protecting peace. That peace will be safeguarded not only through the prevention of armed aggression, but also through the defence of truth in our public space and the strengthening of trust among citizens.

In Czechia, we know from our own history how fragile democracy can be and how much effort it takes to renew it.

In our recent parliamentary elections, I was encouraged by the strong turnout, which showed that people care deeply for the direction their country will take. The results made it clear that most citizens reject extremes and wish to preserve our country’s pro-Western orientation.

As President, my role is to create the space for dialogue across our political landscape and safeguard constitutional continuity. I am committed to keeping our institutions strong, our democratic principles firm, and our foreign policy orientation unchanged, built on three enduring pillars:

First, security and solidarity: Czechia remains an active ally within NATO and a steadfast supporter of Ukraine’s defence, knowing that our own security depends on Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Second, European cohesion: As a committed, active and constructive member of the European Union, Czechia will work for a more united, more competitive and more capable Union.

Third, human dignity and freedom: In the United Nations and beyond, we will continue to be a voice for people living under oppression, as rights abused anywhere corrode security everywhere. 

Ladies and gentlemen, this is where diplomacy proves its worth.

Real diplomacy is the hard work of listening before speaking, of keeping channels open when tempers run high, of turning differences into workable arrangements, and of building coalitions strong enough to solve problems that no nation can solve alone.

28^th October reminds us of who we are as Czechs and what we stand for. It brings us back to the true meaning of living in freedom. Freedom that can never be taken for granted, that must be valued, protected, and, when necessary, defended.

Thank you all once again for your service and for being with me today. I look forward to welcoming you again tomorrow at the state decorations ceremony and the National Day reception here at Prague Castle.

Petr Pavel, the President of the Czech Republic, Prague October 27th 2025