Czech pressure on Germany
Czech Foreign Min. Jan Lipavský told ARD of Germany in English yesterday that a decision by Berlin to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine "should have happened already." Czech TV had a microphone on him when he made the comment but didn't mention this important development in its main evening news programs last night. Just a few hours after Lipavský publicly pressured Germany to send the tanks, Amb. to Nato Jakub Landovský told Czech TV (at 22h22m) at that there is "definitely not any pressure on Germany." According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, the U.S. is furious at German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for refusing to send the tanks. Czech Defense Min. Jana Černochová added her own two cents on CNN Prima News on Sun. by saying that she is somewhat surprised by Germany's stance and that Germany's support for Ukraine is weak. She and Lipavský are furtively doing Washington's bidding, without taking into account what it can mean for long-term Czech-German relations.
Glossary of difficult words
furious - extremely angry;
one's two cents (worth) - one's opinion or point of view for whatever it may be worth, generally when it is not asked for;
furtively - in a way that attempts to avoid notice or attention;
to do someone's bidding - to do what one is asked, told or ordered to do, esp. by someone in a position of power or authority.