Budrys: “Ukraine’s NATO membership must be a joint strategic goal for the West”
On 14 January, the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy, Kęstutis Budrys, met with Ambassadors of the EU, NATO and partner countries accredited to Lithuania. During the meeting, the Foreign Minister presented Lithuania’s foreign policy priorities and global security issues to the representatives of the diplomatic corps.
According to Budrys, in 2025, Lithuania will continue to vigorously pursue the main goals, including strengthening security and defence, Ukraine’s victory over Russian aggression, and a stronger Euro-Atlantic link.
The Foreign Minister underlined that Lithuania would continue to focus its efforts on strengthening the European security system and developing global partnerships, especially in the Indo-Pacific region. According to the Foreign Minister, Lithuania will work actively in the formats of the EU, NATO, and Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8).
The Foreign Minister noted that 2025 would be decisive in Russia’s war against Ukraine, and it is important for the West to demonstrate its long-term commitment to Ukraine.
“Who will retreat first – Russia, with its economy wilting under the pressure of sanctions, or we, the West, will succumb to the temptation of reaching a swift but unsustainable peace agreement? The West must resist the temptation and ensure that Ukraine remains in a strong position. Ukraine’s NATO membership must be a joint strategic goal for the West, as it would ensure a secure and stable future for Europe,” said the Foreign Minister.
The head of Lithuania’s diplomacy stressed that Lithuania would continue to seek to tighten sanctions against Russia and its accomplices to degrade Russia’s war machine and deter Russia from malicious actions in our neighbourhood and our own countries.