Lithuania’s formin to visit Ukraine, discuss situation on frontline, Western support

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on Thursday night will leave for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian aggression.

At meetings with Ukrainian leaders, the Lithuanian top diplomat is expected to discuss the situation on the frontline, the West's continued military support to Kyiv, Ukraine's integration into the European Union and NATO, as well as the development cooperation projects implemented by Lithuania.

Landsbergis will visit Kyiv following the reshuffle of Ukraine’s government and amid Ukraine’s continued offensive in Russia’s Kursk region while Moscow continues to steadily reinforce its positions in Donetsk.

This will be the minister’s ninth visit to Ukraine since the Russian invasion in February 2022.

According to the minister's spokeswoman, Paulina Levickyte, he will be in Ukraine until Sunday and will therefore not be able to attend the Conservatives' congress.

“Landsbergis will address his party members remotely on Sunday,” she told BNS.

Landsbergis has criticized the West for being too slow to deliver support to Ukraine. Lithuania and some allies are calling for the lifting of restrictions on Ukraine's strikes against targets on Russia’s territory.

The US and British top diplomats began a visit Wednesday to Ukraine, where they are expected to discuss further easing rules on firing Western weapons into Russia.

The United States earlier said it believes that Russia could start firing short-range Iranian-made missiles into Ukraine within weeks.

The Iranian shipments have raised fears that Moscow would be freed up to use its long-range missiles against comparatively unscathed areas in western Ukraine.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda arrived in Kyiv on Wednesday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and discuss assistance to the country at war as well as the prospects for negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership.

While in Kyiv, the Lithuanian leader will also attend the summit of Ukraine's Crimea Platform, meet with the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Ruslan Stefanchuk, and launch a Lithuania-Ukraine defense business forum, the presidential office reported on Wednesday.