Lithuania and Poland call for NATO eastern flank strengthening

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Polish President Karol Nawrocki have emphasized the need to strengthen NATO's eastern flank in response to Russian aggression. During a meeting in Warsaw, the leaders discussed shared strategic interests and the necessity of countering threats such as cyberattacks, disinformation, sabotage operations, and migration pressure on their borders.

President Nausėda also addressed potential peace negotiations regarding the war in Ukraine. He asserted that Ukraine must not be excluded from any discussions aimed at ending the conflict. He cautioned against Russian-proposed formats, such as a trilateral China-US-Russia dialogue, warning they could lead to a redistribution of spheres of influence similar to the era of the Second World War. Nausėda noted that Beijing's mediation cannot be viewed as unconditionally impartial while China continues to support Russia's war against Ukraine. He suggested that a European representative, potentially European Council President António Costa, should participate in such negotiations to represent EU interests.