In his address to the UN General Assembly, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said that Russia has brought back “an old-style colonial war” to Europe, warning that Moscow is preparing to go further.
The “colonial war in Ukraine” is a global issue threatening food security and nuclear safety, Nausėda said.
“Russia is currently holding the world hostage, blocking Ukrainian grain exports, looting occupied Ukrainian territories, and devastating local agricultural infrastructure,” Nausėda said.
A possible solution would be to open more export lanes for Ukrainian grain, including via Baltic Sea ports. “But the solution is not to lift sanctions on Russia,” he added.
“This war of aggression must stop, with an immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of troops and military equipment from Ukrainian territory [from the] internationally recognised borders and territorial waters of 1991,” said Nausėda.
Lithuania’s head of state also expressed full endorsement of the peace formula presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Announced in October last year, Zelensky’s proposals include Russia withdrawing its troops from Ukraine’s territory, security guarantees, and an official document confirming an end to the war.
Nausėda also spoke at length about the threats to the current, rules-based world order, saying that threats also arise from “disastrous climate change”.
“Lithuania is resolutely committed to [...] become climate-neutral in 2050,” Nausėda said. “Our ambition is to turn Lithuania from a net importer of electricity to a self-sufficient green energy producer by 2030.”
The pre-condition to achieve sustainable development rests on peace, as “there can be no sustainable development amidst a war”.
“Lithuania supports the ICC arrest warrants for Russia’s President and the ombudswoman,” Nausėda added.
In his address, Nausėda also said post-war justice should also deal with Belarus, “which participates in this aggressive war by providing military assistance and facilitating the offensive from its territory”.
Russia’s recent decision to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus and the announced suspension of its participation in New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between Washington and Moscow, “means Russia is preparing for more war – not to settle for peace”.
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