Starmer's telephone conversation with President of Lithuania Gitanasem Nauseda, premier Latvia Evika Silina and President of Estonia Alarem Karis, took place a few hours before the Sunday peak in London dedicated to Ukraine.
Dissatisfied Lithuania without an invitation. A call to NATO unity
– Nauseda expressed great dissatisfaction Due to the lack of an invitation to London, 'said Asta Skisgiryte, an adviser to the President of Lithuania, in an interview with LRT public broadcaster. She noted that “Prime Minister Starmer began a conversation with an apology, promising that such a situation would not happen again.”
In a statement of the office of the President of Lithuania, issued after a conversation with the British prime minister, Nauseda announced that “the threats resulting from the Aggressor's activities (Russia) on the Eastern Flanka NATO require the alliance demonstrating unitycredibility of collective defense and the effectiveness of the principle of deterrent. “
The statement emphasized that during the conversation leaders discussed issues of transatlantic cooperation within NATO and necessity increase “Europe's contribution to security architecture Alliance. “
The Lithuanian leader pointed out that European countries must increase defense expenses, indicating that the new budget goal should be 5 percent. GDP. He also reminded of the recent decision of the Lithuanian National Defense Council, according to which the country plans to spend on defense from 5 percent up to 6 percent GDP in the coming years.
Lithuania wants to use Russia's assets and settlement of war crimes
“The goal of all of Europe is cooperation to increase investments in European defense industryas well as an urgent increase in support for Ukraine and ensuring uninterrupted deliveries, “Nauseda emphasized.
The President of Lithuania also pointed to the need to use frozen assets of Russia in order to support Ukraine and further strengthening economic pressure and sanctions against the Kremlin. He also reminded about the importance Tribunal for war crimes of Russia in Ukraine.
During the conversation, the issue of possible safety guarantee for Ukraine, including a potential distribution of European forces peaceful on its territory.
A meeting of European leaders in London is underway
In a special organized meeting in London on Sunday By the Prime Minister of Great Britain Keira Starmer, among others prime minister Polish Donald TuskPresident France Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf ScholzPrime Minister Italian Giorgia Meloni and the Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. The heads of government and heads of the Spanish, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Romania are also present, and Turkey is represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan.
Zielnski met with Starmer Already on Saturday evening in London, where he arrived after a quarrel with Donald Trump's visit to Washington. Also on Saturday, the United Kingdom signed a contract with Ukraine loan in the amount of 2.26 billion pounds to support Ukrainian defense skills. The loan is to be repaid from revenues from frozen Russian assets.