Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys warns that accepting any territorial concessions to Russia would be a “betrayal,” even as the EU explores alternative paths to support the new Black Sea security deal. With the U.S.-backed agreement aiming to reduce tensions and restore vital grain exports, divisions are emerging among European allies over how far negotiations with Moscow should go.
00:03There are a lot of topics this morning, obviously, and let me start from the meeting that we
00:09will have with our American colleagues that are visiting the EU today.
00:15And I'm really looking forward in discussing our agenda of cooperation, transatlantic agenda
00:21of economic security.
00:23That is something that we have to work on and build right now.
00:27We cannot be in the permanent fixing phase.
00:31We have to have the normal agreement on steel and aluminum and work on it.
00:38We have to implement swiftly what was agreed back in August, and that is what I am really
00:43looking into.
00:44And then we have to prioritize our tasks.
00:47And of course, the very urgent one is to build the strategy and write decisions on pushing
00:54back China's offensive economic policies, coercive policies, absolutely unfair control of exports
01:02of real-earth and other goods that are needed for our industries.
01:07If we are not doing this, we will be lost, be it here in Europe or be it within the transatlantic
01:13community.
01:14This is the time right now to push back on China and do it together with American friends.
01:20Second big thing for Lithuania, and I will use my opportunity to inform again Council on
01:27the developments on our border with Belarus.
01:30We are under combined attack that is coming from Belarus.
01:34One is the hybrid instrumentalization of meteorological balloons that are used to, that are sent into
01:40our airspace, violates our airspace and disrupts the civil aviation.
01:45More than 30,000 passengers were affected, more than 1,000 last night, and more than 200
01:52flights were redirected.
01:53We cannot function normally what concerns connectivity.
01:57So this is one line of attack.
01:59The other line of attack is seizing our trucks and semi-trailers in Belarus and blackmailing
02:07us and putting pressure on our economy.
02:10So this combined attack has to be met with response from European Union, because European
02:16Union is under, and its member state is under economic pressure.
02:21And that is what we, the European Union has to do, protect its member states, protect its
02:27companies, protect the property of its companies.
02:30And the way to do it is to impose more sanctions on Belarusian economy, on trade, and on the representatives
02:36of the regime.
02:37So this will be the call from Lithuania.
02:40Third big, big block, of course, that we will discuss, that is European economic security
02:47policy.
02:48We are looking for the doctrine to come up, and for the very exact measures and instruments,
02:53how we will protect ourselves, what concerns the competitiveness of ours, and reducing the
03:00vulnerabilities of our industries.
03:02Once again, this is the very priority now within the trade policies and within the industrial
03:09policies of Europe.
03:11And Lithuania is one of the countries that is already implementing the best practices, and
03:16we are looking forward to expand it.
03:17Do you expect pressure from your U.S. counterparts given the tariff?
03:23I think that we will, of course, we will discuss where we are, what concerns implementation of
03:27our joint statement coming from August.
03:32And there are many still things that are uncovered.
03:35And one of them, as I already mentioned, that is the steel and aluminum.
03:40And of course, the other thing that is very high on agenda for every member states, that is
03:45the exemptions from the tariff that was agreed.
03:48So, we have to fix those small details and concentrate on the large ones.
03:53And what is the priority for you?
03:55What is the priority for you?
03:57What concerns exemptions?
03:58For example, in terms of steel?
03:59Yes, of course, we are very interested in agreement on steel and aluminum.
04:04We have producers that suffer now with the extra, from extra tariffs.
04:10Second big area for Lithuania, that is the life sciences.
04:14And that is our cooperation with United States, the largest market in life sciences and biotechnology.
04:21And we see it as one of the fields where we have to build a strategic partnership with United States.
04:25So, we have the strong arguments why it shouldn't be protected with the tariffs on both sides.
04:31Minister, what is your reaction to talks in Geneva over the weekend?
04:34We have seen a critical moment for Ukraine.
04:39We remain consistent on the very principles, how the long-lasting peace has to be achieved.
04:45First of all, we have to agree on fundamentals.
04:48We have to commit to fundamentals.
04:50And those fundamentals are sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence of Ukraine.
04:55And if we put the theft of territory into any agreement, this is the betrayal of international law.
05:03And no one can trust in the future that aggression won't be repeated at the very same place or in any other direction,
05:11be it other smaller countries that are in the neighborhood of Russia.
05:15So, fundamentals, first of all, whether they are protected or not.
05:19The second big part is accountability.
05:21From what I read, when I see the word amnesty to the war crimes, this hits the red lamp into many heads, and mine too.
05:31So, accountability is important for the crime of aggression, for war crimes that were committed within the Ukraine territory,
05:39for abduction of children, for destruction of the property, and for the abduction of civilians.
05:46So, everything has to be put back where it belongs, territory given back to Ukraine, and children return to their homes.
05:53It's the same with civilians, and those that are responsible, they have to be prosecuted.
05:58Only then we can speak about accountability that was implemented.
06:02Otherwise, it is impunity, and we know what impunity brings.
06:05Impunity brings more aggression, and with Russia, that's the rule that was proven so many times previously.
06:11But, if there is the progress, as the parties are signaling us and reporting, of course, we commend it that the talks are progressively improving,
06:23and looking forward also for Europe to step in those parts that cannot be discussed without Europe.
06:29That is the European security.
06:31We know what Russia wants.
06:32Russia wants to dismantle NATO.
06:34Russia wants to push out Americans from Europe, to review the security architecture.
06:40And we have to be there where it is discussed, and especially with our allies and partners.
06:48So, as the process is starting, it's good that we once again have the process, but we cannot forget what is really important.
06:56And what is really important for today, that's the ceasefire.
06:59Russia has to agree with the unconditional ceasefire as Ukraine did more than 250 or 60 already days ago.
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