Lithuanian president backs Trump’s NATO defense spending goal amid ongoing Russian threat

Подробнее о видео

(31 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Vilnius, Lithuania - 30 January 2025
1. Lithuania President Gitanas Nausėda seated during interview with The Associated Press
2. Cutaway
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania:
"I think (U.S.) President Donald Trump understands that no peace negotiations without Ukraine. We cannot have any discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine. And we have quite broad understanding and consensus regarding this in the European Union.”
4. Cutaway
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania:
"You cannot believe that intentions of Russia will be just to stop and do nothing."
6. Cutaway
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania:
"And then the main question is, what will be the next target of Russia? Ukraine, maybe. Baltic countries, maybe. But this time, I think, this is absolutely crucial the issue, this time (Russian President) Putin and Kremlin is challenging whole NATO. This is not a regional conflict. This is not individual country-by-country conflict. This is a challenge of Putin towards NATO.”
8. Cutaway
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania (on reasoning for Lithuania’s recent pledge to raise defense spending):
“This is absolutely clear priority for this country as a frontline country that we have to spend more and of course, we can rely on the support of our allies in NATO. But it would be naive to expect that somebody will care about our security if there will be clear indications that we are not able to defend ourselves.”
10. Cutaway
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Gitanas Nausėda, President of Lithuania:
"And taking into account our long history with Russian Federation, we see that you always have the threat from the East."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

STORYLINE:
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda says that any peace settlement in Ukraine must involve Kyiv and come with more defense spending by regional countries to deter future Russian aggression.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Nausėda warned that a ceasefire without proper deterrent measures would allow Russia to consolidate its forces and prepare for further aggression in the region.

Lithuania has committed to raising defense spending to 5% of its GDP, aligning with U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for increased NATO expenditures.

Nausėda also urged NATO and the EU to bolster Baltic Sea security amid growing concerns over undersea cable sabotage.

Lithuania, which was occupied by the Soviet Union until 1990, is increasingly worried about the ongoing brutal war in Ukraine and the aggression of its neighbor Russia.

Its geographical position makes it vulnerable to a potential broader conflict launched from the Kremlin even after an eventual end to the war, Nausėda said.

The Baltic country recently became the first member of the NATO military alliance to commit to raising its defense spending to at least 5% of its overall national economic output, as called for by Trump.

A longtime critic of NATO countries that do not spend more on defense, the U.S president has threatened he will not defend alliance members that fail to meet defense spending goals.

AP video by Siarhei Satsiuk

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