Russia is 'mocking' the US, Lithuanian defence minister tells Euronews

Published connected 31/05/2025 - 15:57 GMT+2•Updated 15:59

Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė has accused Russia of "mocking" nan US authorities complete nan Kremlin's refusal to prosecute meaningfully successful ceasefire talks. She warns that alternatively of being pressured into ending nan war, nan Kremlin is pushing guardant pinch mobilizing 1.5 cardinal students by nan extremity of nan year.

“In my sentiment they already mocked nan American government- they are showing disrespect to immoderate effort to scope an agreement”, she told Euronews.

Šakalienė besides said Russia has not been put nether unit by nan US obliging them to make concessions aliases cease its subject run against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.

"On nan different manus why should they stop" [their attacks]. They person really transformed their system to a warfare clip economy. They are moving very accelerated pinch their equipped forces reform.  – to person 1.5 cardinal soldiers by extremity of nan year".

Minister Sakalienė was speaking to reporters during a NATO subject exercise, this year's "Iron Wolf" [alluding to a animal from Lithuanian mythology], which included a simulated counter-offensive featuring German tanks and Lithuanian infantry fighting vehicles.

The workout besides included an aerial Assault Operation, including para-troopers drop-offs, arsenic portion of nan US-led workout "Swift Response”.

Six NATO friends were progressive successful nan paratrooper workout including nan US, Germany, Italy, France, and nan Netherlands.

The constituent of nan workout is to measure NATO's readiness to behaviour subject operations successful nan arena of a penetration by Russia into NATO territory, successful peculiar nan Baltic countries, erstwhile Soviet republics.

'Worthwhile' efforts by US but 'military muscle' only deterrent

Sakalienė believes location is nary inducement for Russia to extremity its run successful Ukraine, arsenic good arsenic its "imperialistic" ambitions crossed Europe which nan curate said is further strengthened by nan Kremlin’s collaboration pinch North Korea, Iran and China:

"Russia’s military manufacture is really gaining speed. They are still moving guardant successful Ukraine. Why should they stop?”

The curate was responding to questions astir nan grounded effort astatine bid talks successful Turkey erstwhile Putin refused to show up and sent a delegation headed by statesmanlike adjutant Vladimir Medinsky to meet pinch nan Ukrainian delegation.

Ukraine president Volodymr Zelenskyy went to Ankara to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He said he was consenting to recreation to Istanbul but only if Putin showed up.

“So presently what I spot is fundamentally a mocking crippled I don’t deliberation it’s going to lead america anywhere”, she said.

Sakalienė called nan efforts to extremity nan warfare “worthwhile” but, ultimately, nan only measurement to extremity nan warfare successful Ukraine was done subject means.

“I deliberation nan efforts by nan US to extremity this warfare are worthwhile. We’ll spot really that ends but successful my sentiment successful nan extremity what is going to beryllium nan only businesslike intends is regenerating nan Ukrainian service and building subject musculus successful Europe. That’s nan only deterrent.”

NATO defence ministers will meet successful Brussels adjacent week, erstwhile nan United Kingdom and Germany convene nan Ukraine Defence Contact Group astatine NATO HQ.