Lithuania President Hitanas Nauseda expressed pessimism about the end of the war in Ukraine in the near future. In his opinion, Russia is only imitating readiness for negotiations without demonstrating a true desire for peace.
In his statement, Nauseda noted that he did not see "light at the end of the tunnel", and the reason for this is the obvious reluctance of Russia to move forward. He stressed that any peace dialogue is possible only if the fire is ceased, and this does not happen.
The Lithuanian President emphasized the need to implement a 18th package of sanctions against Russia, noting that he should be strong and without exception. According to him, sanction policy should remain a firm answer to Moscow's aggressive actions.
Separately, Nauseda touched the topic of defense cooperation. He advocated the strengthening of transatlantic unity and supported the idea of attaching third countries to European defense procurement.
Regarding Ukraine's future in the European Union, President of Lithuania stressed that double standards cannot be allowed in the expansion process. He urged to accelerate negotiations on Ukraine and Moldova's accession to the EU, stressed that both countries are showing significant progress in reforms.
Nauseda considers it appropriate to set a clear political goal - to see Ukraine with a full member of the EU from January 1, 2030. According to him, this task is not easy, but it can be an additional source of motivation.
