EU leaders are increasingly in favour of Russia's defeat in Ukraine – Lithuanian President
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says that the understanding that Russia must be defeated in Ukraine is growing at European Union leader level, as otherwise "there will be a continuation of this tragic story".
Source: European Pravda citing Nauseda's interview with Politico
Details: Commenting on the outcome of the latest EU summit held last week, Nauseda said: "I think the understanding is broadening that we have to defeat Russia, because otherwise there will be a continuation of this tragic story."
"At least I don't see leaders who want to call (Russian leader Vladimir – ed.) Putin to talk about the issues in Ukraine. We do not have any leader who still trusts Putin. Apart from two," he added, referring to the prime ministers of Hungary and Slovakia.
The Lithuanian President also expressed hope that he and other leaders would be able to change the minds of those EU members who are currently sceptical about the Russian threat and the need to achieve Russia's defeat in the war.
"If [Russia] will break the first defence line [in Ukraine], they will enter and that they will go after us and that there will be [a] second defence line," he explained.
Nauseda stressed that Moscow was "threatening and challenging all democratic systems in Europe. All included: Germany, France, Spain, and even Portugal, which is pretty far away from the front line."
Background:
- The Lithuanian president has previously expressed his wish that the fourteenth package of EU sanctions against Russia should include the state-owned Rosatom corporation, as well as aluminium and more Russian banks.
- Last week, the EU leaders' summit agreed that the EU would continue to work on a plan to use the proceeds from the frozen assets of the Russian central bank, including to arm Ukraine.
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