Kęstutis Budrys: Negotiations With Russia On Ukraine Should Be Conducted From A Position Of Strength

We also need to accelerate the process of Ukraine's European integration.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kiastutis Budrys called on the EU to approach negotiations with Russia over the war in Ukraine from a position of strength, including support for Ukraine and frozen Russian assets, Ukrinform reported.

"Once again: if we want to engage with the Russian Federation, especially in the framework of complex negotiations, such as negotiations to end this war, we need to approach it from a position of strength, not weakness," the minister said.

In his opinion, negotiations cannot start with recognizing Europe's weakness or lack of strategic leverage.

"I know what the Russians will tell us. We know their demands, which stretch back to 2021, and they will not only concern Ukraine, but also us - including the issue of force deployment. So, we need to get our act together," Budrys said.

By this he means long-term financial support for Ukraine, accelerating Ukraine's accession to the EU, and frozen Russian assets.

"We should not forget that this issue is still unresolved. Yes, we overlapped the issue with a 90 billion loan, but this is something that needs to be talked about. So, if we have these tools in our hands, if we have a stick, then we can achieve a positive result with the RF, but not now," the minister said.

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