Lithuania’s foreign minister on Wednesday called on European Union member states to play a more active role in establishing a special tribunal to prosecute senior Russian officials over the crime of aggression against Ukraine.
“We cannot allow Russia to emerge as a winner of the aggression it started in any form. Therefore, negotiations regarding Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity are not acceptable,” Kęstutis Budrys said.
Lithuania was among the first countries to join the initiative for a special tribunal, he added, saying it would seek accountability for the regimes of Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko.
“We are ready to continue the necessary work and urge other EU partners to become more actively involved,” Budrys said.
He made the remarks during a visit to Kyiv, where European Union foreign ministers and the bloc’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas met Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The meetings took place against the backdrop of the anniversary of the Bucha massacre.
According to Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry, Budrys stressed that upholding international law and ensuring justice for Ukraine and its people are essential to achieving a just and lasting peace.
The Council of Europe and Zelensky agreed last June to establish a special tribunal to prosecute high-ranking Russian officials over the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In late March, the European Union said it had begun procedures to become a founding member of the tribunal, which would give the bloc a leading role in its operations, including selecting judges and prosecutors.
Brussels has already helped draft the tribunal’s founding legal texts and allocated 10 million euros for its setup. The bid for founding member status still requires approval from all 27 EU member states.
Budrys also reaffirmed Lithuania’s commitment to Kyiv’s membership in the European Union.
“We will continue to support Ukraine politically and provide military, financial, energy and humanitarian aid. We have committed to allocating 0.25% of our GDP annually to Ukraine’s security and defence, and we are actively supporting Ukraine’s recovery,” he said.
“In the longer term, it is important to work actively toward Ukraine’s accession to the EU and set a goal for membership by 2030. This is a geopolitical goal for all of Europe, and we must accelerate all preparatory work to achieve it,” he added.
According to the minister, Lithuania’s support for Ukraine’s energy sector has exceeded 100 million euros, marking a significant contribution within the European Union.
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