[ad_1]
- Lithuania, which shares a border with Russia, says Russia could attack other countries if it is not stopped in Ukraine.
- The country is one of Ukraine’s biggest allies and has called on Western countries to do more to support Ukraine.
- He told BI that if Putin is not stopped, “what happens next is a problem for Europe as a whole.”
Whatever Russia does next, unless it is defeated in Ukraine, it will become a Europe-wide problem, the Lithuanian prime minister told Business Insider.
“The outcome of this battle in Ukraine is extremely important for Europe,” Ingrida Simonite said in an interview.
“If we don’t stop Putin in Ukraine, what happens next is a Europe-wide problem,” she said.
Lithuania, which borders parts of Russia and Russia’s ally Belarus, is one of the countries that gives Ukraine the most aid, at least as a percentage of its gross domestic product (GDP).
It also provided support and military equipment to Ukraine before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, during proxy fighting in eastern Ukraine.
Last year, Simonite told BI that Ukrainians want to help protect Europe and that supporting Ukraine is “an investment in our security.”
Lithuania, a member of NATO and the European Union, was once part of the Soviet Union, but now Russia is loudly warning that it could also attack Lithuania.
Many other European countries have also warned of a similar scenario. Several countries have said that if Russia is not defeated in Ukraine, it could attack one of them next.
Because NATO considers an attack on one member state an attack on all members, an attack on a NATO member state is likely to drag the United States and other NATO countries into a broader and more costly war.
Simonite said the entire continent was becoming more aware of this threat.
“Europe now seems to understand that this is a European problem,” he said, but some countries still seem to have hopes that they can resolve the situation on their own. He added.
Simonite also said that European countries not only need to strengthen their manufacturing industries, but also need to use the full force of their arsenals.
Ukraine is running low on arms and ammunition, and U.S. aid has stalled, with House Republicans and European nations claiming they don’t have enough in their own arsenals.
She encouraged countries to look beyond the “red lines” they have set for themselves. “Putin is laughing at our red lines,” she said.
Simonite said countries continue to set red lines not to provide weapons to Ukraine, only to reverse and do so a few months later.
She says it’s frustrating to see this scenario play out over and over again.
“Many casualties, deaths and losses have occurred in recent months that could have been avoided.”
Simonite said Ukraine could win this war, but “it’s very sad that the debate has dragged on longer than is reasonable.”
“It’s about the deaths of people that Ukraine faces every day just because we are behind,” she added.
[ad_2]
Source link
