Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis warned of the consequences of a Ukraine deal between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“The Americans want new elections in Ukraine, recognition of the occupied territories and no NATO membership for Ukraine” he told the weekly newspaper “Die Zeit”. “If Trump agrees to that, it would be a huge victory for Putin, 7:0 for Putin.”
In that case, Landsbergis said, Russia could try to expand the war to other parts of Europe. Therefore, Europeans should send troops to Ukraine, equipped with a robust mandate: “If troops are stationed in Ukraine, then they must be allowed to fight from the very first second, should Russia attack again.”
At the same time, Landsbergis acknowledged that the US would still be needed: “It’s not possible without them. Europe has participated in many operations with the Americans or within the NATO framework.” He added, “We could only do it with the help of the Americans. They helped us with ammunition, equipment and air defense.”
Landsbergis said he had already discussed the possibility of his sons fighting in a war with him. One is a soldier, the other is a medical student who would become a captain after graduation. “If they ever have to fight in the trenches and I knew that I had not done everything to convince my counterpart, then I would never forgive myself” Landsbergis said.
Gabrielius Landsbergis was the Lithuanian Foreign Minister from 2020 to 2024 and the chairman of the Christian Democrats TS-LKD until 2024.