Lithuania's foreign minister has called for greater freedom for Ukraine to strike Russian targets, urging Western allies to remove restrictions on the weapons they supply.
In an interview with French TV station LC1 on Monday, May 20, Gabrielius Landsbergis said that current limitations were based on an overblown fear of escalating the war with Russia.
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Landsbergis supported French President Emmanuel Macron's proposal to send military trainers to Ukraine, stressing the importance of allowing Ukraine to fully utilize the provided equipment.
He argued that enabling Ukraine to target Russian territory, supply lines, and military units would help them achieve strategic goals.
"We must let the Ukrainians use the equipment to strike at Russian targets," Landsbergis said. "The imposed restrictions only favor one side. It's time to eliminate these self-imposed rules."
He also advocated for the return of Western military trainers who were present in Ukraine before Russia's invasion in 2022, suggesting that this would expedite the training of Ukrainian forces.
Lithuania, he added, is ready to join a coalition led by France to train Ukrainian soldiers directly in Ukraine.
Furthermore, Landsbergis proposed that France take a leadership role by deploying anti-aircraft defense systems in the Baltic states and encouraging other allies to participate in rotational deployments.
However, he cautioned against seeking Beijing's help to pressure Moscow into ending the war, warning that such a move could make the West dependent on China.
ISW Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 2, 2024
"There is no free lunch; China will always demand a price," Landsbergis stated. "By involving China, we'd be handing over the keys to our security instead of solving the problem ourselves."
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