Czech president to host foreign leader amid speculation of Zelenskyy visit

The Presidential Office announced Wednesday that President Petr Pavel will receive a foreign head of state at Prague Castle on Sunday afternoon. While the office did not name the visitor, Czech news outlets Seznam Zprávy and iDNES.cz have reported that it will be Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

According to the Presidential Office website, Prague Castle’s ticket offices, information centers, gardens, visitor facilities, and exhibitions will be closed to the public on Sunday. The castle grounds will be closed from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Zelenskyy, whose country has been resisting Russian military aggression for more than three years, was initially expected to attend the Three Seas Initiative summit in Warsaw on Tuesday and meet with Pavel. However, he ultimately joined the summit via video link.

Pavel visited Ukraine on March 20–21. In the southern city of Odesa, he met with Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba and regional representatives.

He later traveled by train to Kyiv, where he visited the Ochmatdyt children’s hospital and held talks with Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

Zelenskyy last visited Prague unannounced in July 2023. Following his meeting with Pavel, Zelenskyy thanked the Czech Republic for its continued support and warned about the dangers of Russian propaganda. At the time, Pavel praised Ukraine’s counteroffensive.

Zelenskyy also met with Prime Minister Petr Fiala and the heads of both chambers of Parliament.

The Ukrainian president is expected to arrive in Prague with his wife. The president’s office said more details would be announced on Sunday.