PRAGUE, December 11. /TASS/. Karel Rehka, the chief of the Czech General Staff, has said it’s not impossible that Western countries will wage a war with Russia.

"A war with Russia is not unthinkable, although we assess that it is not likely at the moment," the CTK news agency quoted him as saying at a at a conference in Prague entitled "Ready to Fight?"

It could occur because of an unintended escalation, Rehka stated.

According to the chief of the General Staff, only deterrence will help prevent a conflict.

"Russia must realistically see that we have the ability and the will to defend ourselves. It’s not about some declaration, they have to see that actually it’s not worth it," Rehka said.

He said the Russian military in Ukraine had transformed itself.

"Russia is preparing for an even longer and more intense war," Rehka stated.

He called for support to Ukraine and the European Union showed unity in the issue of Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier said Russia strongly condemns "the increasingly aggressive and bellicose rhetoric of Western officials who do not hesitate to make loud statements on the Ukrainian conflict." On November 9, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said Moscow was ready for peace talks with Ukraine, but there were not even hints of the same on the part of Kiev.

On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a special military operation in Ukraine in response to a request for help from the leaders of Donbass republics. Afterward, the US, the EU, the UK, along with some other countries started providing Kiev with weapons and military equipment worth billions of dollars.