VIDEO: Czech president tells CNN Russia is failing and targeting Europe

Czech President Petr Pavel, a former chairman of NATO's Military Committee, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour that Russia is failing to achieve its goals in Ukraine and is increasingly turning to tactics designed to spread fear and undermine support for Kyiv across Europe.

In the English-language interview, Pavel described the war as being “more or less a stalemate” and said Russia's attempt to weaken NATO and the European Union through its invasion had instead made both more united and determined to defend themselves.

“If Putin wanted to disunite NATO and the EU by launching an attack against Ukraine, he achieved just the opposite. NATO countries are more united, they are more determined to defend their territory, they are more determined to spend more on their own defense and deter Russia from any open military action,” Pavel said.

Pavel said Russia is not succeeding in its aggression against Ukraine and is therefore seeking an external enemy, focusing first and foremost on European countries that support Ukraine.

He said Russia is using non-military means to sow distrust in institutions, create discord between nations and discourage support for Ukraine.

Russia is aware that an open military operation against NATO would not meet its objectives, Pavel said. Instead, Moscow is focusing on actions below the threshold of military aggression, including subversive activities, incursions into sovereign air and maritime space and disinformation campaigns.

His comments come as European countries continue to investigate suspected Russian hybrid operations. Germany on Tuesday accused Moscow of being behind an August hybrid attack on Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Pavel said Russia is trying to create terror and fear and convince Europeans that it cannot be defeated.

Asked by Amanpour about the situation on the Ukrainian battlefield, Pavel said Russia is not succeeding despite Russian propaganda insisting that the war is going well.

“For every square kilometer Russia gains from Ukraine, it loses more than 1,000 people. The rate of casualties is higher than the rate of recruits,” Pavel said.

Over the last year, Russia acquired less than 0.4 percent of Ukraine's territory, he said.

“That cannot be translated as a success,” Pavel said. “That is why they are trying to do everything possible to show that they have the power to win the conflict. That is why they are focusing on soft targets, creating terror, creating fear, and creating the belief that Russia cannot be defeated.”

Pavel also commented on Russia's invitation to this week's G20 finance ministers' meeting in the United States. He said he did not consider the move appropriate because it appears to be an attempt to normalize relations with Russia.

The Czech president said Russia should not be completely isolated, but Western countries should remain firm in their stance while staying open to negotiations.

“We should not completely isolate Russia; we should be very firm in our stance that we are open to negotiations without preconditions once they cease hostilities along the current line of contact,” Pavel said.

According to Pavel, Russia is not currently in a position to negotiate from a position of strength.