Trump has leverage to push Russia into negotiations – Nausėda
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda believes that the United States should use its leverage over Russia to force it to come to the negotiating table.
He made this statement ahead of the EU summit, Censor.NET reports, citing Ukrinform.
"A ceasefire is an absolutely necessary precondition for any peace agreement, and at the moment, that is not happening," the Lithuanian leader said.
He emphasized the need for the EU’s response to be clear and decisive. In particular, the European Union should adopt its 18th package of sanctions.
The President of Lithuania believes that U.S. President Donald Trump has sufficient leverage and can use the tools at his disposal to advance peace negotiations.
According to him, if Russia does not agree to talks voluntarily, it "will be forced to do so."
"I hope that this, though difficult, is possible… thanks to the American president," Nausėda said, noting that Trump’s leadership was evident when NATO allies recently agreed on a 5% GDP defense spending target, something that seemed impossible just a few years ago.
"So, perhaps in this process (the peace process -ed.) he (Trump -ed.) will act more decisively, and we will achieve that final result," the Lithuanian leader concluded.
