Read the Best Exchange So Far on Russia-Ukraine

As NATO considers new sanctions against Russia over its moves in Ukraine, Moscow clearly has an ally in the Czech Republic. President Milos Zeman spoke against sanctions at the NATO summit in Wales this week, expressing skepticism that Russia was sending in troops despite mounting evidence to the contrary, reports the Prague Post. And in an interview to be broadcast Sunday, Zeman doubled-down on his skepticism, which drew a quick rejoinder from Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, also in Wales, reports B92:

• Zeman: Referring to the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968: "In the first wave, 150,000 Russian soldiers occupied the country. That's an invasion. It has not been proven so far that there is such an invasion in Ukraine, and I accept seriously the statements of Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov that there are no Russian soldiers there."
• Bildt: "I do not know if there is some kind of intelligence service in the Czech Republic. Do you have it? You could ask them."

Meanwhile, a ceasefire began this morning in Ukraine. (More Milos Zeman stories.)