Lithuania Expresses Total Support for Ukraine in UN Speech

The President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, speaking this morning during the General Debate at the 75^th UN General Assembly, expressed his country’s total support for Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty in the face of aggression by Russia.

Nausėda noted that ending the Russian occupation of Crimea as well as regions of Georgia means restoring justice in the region.

Nausėda continues his country’s unwavering support for Ukraine that began with his predecessor Dalia Grybauskaitė. This example of mutual support by former captive nations of Russian subjugation should reaffirm for Moscow and the global community that Russian regional threats persist but the countries of Eastern Europe are looking out for each other’s best interests.

“Furthermore, for the sixth-year Russian forces are occupying Ukrainian Crimea and continuing military actions in Eastern Ukraine. Lithuania welcomes Ukraine’s efforts to negotiate an end to the war and calls on Russia to move closer to a sustainable political resolution. Any future agreement should fully respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity – no other solution is possible,” Nausėda said.

“My country continues to support Georgian and Ukrainian independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders. No occupation, be it Crimea and Sevastopol, or Abkhazia and South Ossetia, will be forgotten or forgiven! Restoring justice is the only way forward.”

The Lithuanian leader urged the leaders of the world to restore international order by investigating crimes against humanity and punishing the perpetrators “by all the available means.”

“This principle should also apply to those who intentionally break the international norms. More than a decade has passed since Russia invaded Georgia. One fifth of Georgian territory remains occupied by Russian forces in an evident violation of the international law. The situation in the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia is worsening due to renewed ‘borderization’ activities, restricted movement and illegal detentions of local people,” he said.

Turning to the vital topic of nuclear energy, Nausėda, said its safe and secure development is not every country’s goal, pointing to Russia’s dangerous actions. He accused Moscow of going forward with nuclear energy development without much thoughts about a clean and sustainable future.

“We see the new nuclear power plant in Belarus as a geopolitical project aimed at maintaining Russian sphere of influence. Built without proper risk assessment and necessary consultations just 40 kilometers from our capital city, it challenges regional nuclear and environmental safety, as well as the functioning of the Baltic States electricity systems and the overall security of whole Europe,” he stated.

While the Latvian president’s remarks didn’t mention the Russo-Ukraine war, the statement did criticize Moscow for its revisionist approach to World War II.

“Concerning the wider phenomenon of disinformation, I would like to address one example. Russia’s increasingly revisionist approach, especially in the context of World War II events, is unacceptable. Russia makes continuous attempts to turn history into a disinformation tool. This goes hand in hand with continuing restrictions on democracy and free speech. We call for an independent, international investigation into the recent poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny. The perpetrators of this crime must be held accountable,” President of Latvia, Egils Levits, said today.

Levits also said his country is greatly concerned by events in nearby Belarus, especially the brutal repression underway in the wake of the August 9 elections.

“We call for new, democratic and transparent elections and an end to the repression of peaceful demonstrators. Latvia is currently providing medical treatment to several victims of the repressions. We also call on Russia to desist from any further interference in Belarus, so that its people can decide for themselves the future of their state,” Levits said.

“The women of Belarus especially have shown great strength and courage. Svetlana Alexievich, laureate of the 2015 Nobel Prize for literature, speaks of ‘thirst for changes, thirst for new life, thirst for honesty.’ In Latvia we still remember such thirst 30 years ago. We are always ready to share our rich experience of regaining democracy and freedom.”