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The President called on EU leaders to increase support for Ukraine and provide it with all necessary air defense capabilities

President of the Republic of Lithuania

April 17, 2024

President Gitanas Nausėda is attending the European Council meeting in Brussels on April 17-18. Wednesday evening, European leaders discussed support for Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and EU-Türkiye relations.

The President also emphasized that the initiatives launched at the EU level to provide military assistance to Ukraine - in ammunition and munitions - should be implemented as soon as possible. According to Gitanas Nausėda, the cost of insufficient military support for Ukraine is the loss of Ukrainian lives, further destruction and delayed victory for Ukraine.

The President underlined the need for continued financial support to Ukraine. According to Gitanas Nausėda, support from the European Peace Facility Fund, which has been increased by five billion euros, could be accelerated. The President also called for rules to be established as soon as possible to use profits from frozen Russian financial assets immobilized in EU countries. The Lithuanian leader stressed the importance of ensuring that frozen Russian assets are used for the needs of Ukraine.

"We must tighten sanctions against Russia and Belarus and find a way to prevent the circumvention of sanctions. As Russia continues its brutal war in Ukraine, I call for including Russian liquefied and natural gas in the sanctions lists and introducing trade restrictive measures on Russian and Belarusian agricultural products. It is our responsibility and duty to ensure that sanctions are effectively implemented," the President said.

Addressing the EU- Türkiye relations, the President highlighted the importance of cooperation in fighting illegal migration, maintaining energy and food security, and ensuring security in the Black Sea region. According to Gitanas Nausėda, Türkiye's role is particularly important in supporting Ukraine, and therefore it is necessary to maintain and strengthen the strategic dialogue with this country.

Regarding the situation in the Middle East, the President condemned Iran's attacks on Israel. He called on EU leaders to agree on sanctions against Iran in response to its attack on Israel and its military support for Russia's aggression in Ukraine. According to Gitanas Nausėda, it is crucial to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from escalating further.

"Iran's actions in Israel are completely unjustifiable and have consequences, as does Iran's support for Russian aggression in Ukraine. Allied joint action to help Israel defend itself against air attacks sets an example for how we should act in Ukraine. Air defense assistance is vital to the Ukrainians," the President said.

On Thursday, EU leaders will resume their meeting. The second day of the summit will focus on EU competitiveness and economic issues.

The President's Communication Group