00:00I'd love to get your perspective now.
00:01As of this weekend, we have a new government in Hungary thinking about the path forward
00:05for Ukraine.
00:06How does that change things in the sanctions package?
00:08Could we see a full ban on maritime services?
00:11It already changed the situation in Europe.
00:14Now we are already fast with the decisions that were delayed because of the Hungarian
00:19veto.
00:20So Ukraine support loan, that political okay was already given.
00:25So now it's the technical deliberations.
00:27And we are looking forward for June to be the month when the first trench will reach
00:32Ukraine.
00:33The second big package that was really important, that was the sanctions, 20 sanctions package.
00:39So we passed this one and Lithuania calls for already 21st package.
00:44We are offering Rosatom, Lukoil to be sanctioned, you know, because they cannot be the exemption
00:50and especially when Lukoil is sanctioned by United States.
00:53This is ridiculous that we are not doing this.
00:55And, of course, moving forward with the shadow fleet and with the maritime service ban, that
01:00is constantly our position.
01:02We understand that there are some limitations and, of course, it would be better to do within
01:05the G7 group.
01:07But Europe has to show leadership.
01:08What else?
01:09And thinking about that shadow ban, the ban of the shadow fleet, a lot of the crude oil
01:14that is coming from Russia is flowing through the Baltic Sea.
01:16Do you think it's realistic?
01:17And do you think the Europeans have enough sort of strength to kind of crack down on these
01:22ships?
01:22We had the debate already about it.
01:25Look at the progress that we've done in one year.
01:28The number of vessels that we sanctioned during this year.
01:31So this is the largest number.
01:34The pressure that we put on the vessels, on the quality of the crews and of the technical
01:40equipment, it was also increased.
01:42We make a difference.
01:43And we increase the cost for Russians.
01:45So this is how it would work with the maritime services ban.
01:49And so we have to do it, of course, we hear also the concerns of some of the countries that
01:53it would be better to do in the broader group of countries because that would reduce some
01:58of the risks.
01:59I understand it.
02:00That's why we have to continue working with United States also on it.
02:03And now with the United States much less engaged in the conflict in Ukraine, there's some questions
02:06and some conversations in Europe about engaging with Russia on some meaningful level.
02:10We've heard from President Koshta saying that the Europeans are going to sort of unite a
02:13position on this.
02:14What is your position on this?
02:15We heard from the Russians from Vladimir Putin this weekend saying that Gerhard Schroeder, the
02:19former Chancellor of Germany, might be a good go-between.
02:21Do you think that's a realistic proposal?
02:23Once again, we are falling into the trap of Putin.
02:26He's just hijacking our debate and turning it into what is favorable to him.
02:31We should stop it and just leave it to the side, the candidates.
02:34We should start from the very beginning, from the basics.
02:37What will be our demands?
02:38What we need and want from Russia to get out from Ukraine?
02:42That is only number one.
02:44Also to get rid of all the weapons that they deployed after the full-scale invasion in Belarus
02:48and other places, also we have to talk about the sticks in our hands, about the strong leverage.
02:54Because no one expects that it's about the rhetoric art in the dialogue and the debate
03:00and discussions and negotiations with Russia.
03:02No, it's about the strength also in our hands.
03:05And once again, what's the goal?
03:08What's the end state?
03:09What will be our strategy?
03:10And we are not discussing these things.
03:12We are jumping into some tiny details that make no difference who will debate.
03:17If he or she will have these strong instruments in their hands.
03:20And thinking about not Europe's role necessarily in Iran, but the consequence of the Iranian
03:24war on Europe, there's been this threat by the United States to pull out 5,000 troops
03:29from Germany, potentially more to come.
03:31Would you like to see those troops moved, if possible, to Lithuania?
03:35Is that a conversation you're having with the United States?
03:37We want to have United States troops in Europe.
03:40That's a full stop.
03:43And of course, we want these numbers to be increased where they have to be deployed.
03:47This is also the discussion within the NATO among the allies from our position.
03:51And that was a long month and already years that we said that they had to be at the frontline.
03:58The deterrence effect is the most, you know, is the biggest there.
04:01We already proposed to the United States, and that was a while ago already, to increase
04:07our host nation support package to U.S. troops that are already deployed in Lithuania.
04:11What concerns the housing, what concerns the training field areas, and then also our financial
04:16package that we are providing.
04:18So we are providing the state-of-the-art conditions that are there, and we are ready to expand it.
04:23And I hope that U.S. will remain in Europe at this scale where they are now.
04:28And thinking also about another consequence, which is weapons deliveries to Europe from
04:32the United States.
04:33We've heard a lot of reports about delays or that they've been put on pause.
04:36Can you give us an update in terms of what we're getting and what we're not getting from
04:39the United States in Lithuania, but also for Ukraine?
04:42There are some categories of weaponry that we are procuring from United States that delivery
04:47dates are delayed.
04:49This is because of the high demand now, not only within the Europe, but also globally.
04:54And this is one of the reasons why we have to talk also about the ramping up our defense
05:00industry capacities also in Europe.
05:02And also it has to be done in EU.
05:04And I see this as the very important topic for our NATO discussions in the upcoming Ankara
05:10summit.
05:11That will be the topic number one.
05:13How we are increasing the production of defense industry.
05:17Because this is something that my country feels on our skin.
05:21And do you think that there's progress being made on those conversations across those pan-European
05:25programs?
05:25And I want to talk more specifically about joint debt, because now we're talking about
05:29potential stimulus as a consequence of the energy crisis, trying to basically reduce the
05:34cost for that.
05:35That is going to put massive fiscal strain.
05:37Do you think that there is a reanimating of the debate on euro bonds for defense?
05:40First of all, we have to review what we are spending on our national defense in our budgets
05:47for the defense purposes, because that's what we pledged back in the Hague summit.
05:52So before Ankara summit, I really looking forward to see the increase in the defense spending.
05:56And we cannot allow the joint debt being the excuse to avoid the discussion about our national
06:03spending.
06:03And when I hear those voices about the European autonomy, the paradox is that the louder the
06:10voices are about the autonomy, the less the defense spending is on the table.
06:14We have to stop this trend.
06:15.
06:15.
06:15.
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