Lithuanian PM says trust in US unchanged, welcomes Ukraine peace efforts

VILNIUS - Lithuania's trust in the US remains unchanged, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said on Monday, adding that initiatives to achieve peace in Ukraine were welcome.

He was speaking after US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on diesel supplies and announced a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine covering energy infrastructure.

"Lithuania's trust has not wavered. We still think and firmly believe that America is our strategic partner. Of course, politicians are often active, but this does not mean their statements or tweets (social media posts - BNS) fundamentally change bilateral relations. We welcome American initiatives to seek and find ways to achieve lasting peace, and any initiatives in this area are welcome. It is important that these initiatives actually work, as President (Volodymyr - BNS) Zelensky also said today," Sinkevicius said during a visit to Warsaw on Monday.

On Friday, Trump announced an agreement with Putin on supplying large quantities of diesel in exchange for a temporary easing of US sanctions. The announcement drew strong criticism from Ukraine, the European Union and several US lawmakers.

Sinkevicius also criticised companies that continue to operate in Europe while cooperating with Russia, saying economic interests should not outweigh Ukraine's fate. He called for efforts to ensure that the remaining business ties with Russia are finally severed.

On Sunday, Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure. However, the Kremlin did not confirm whether the ceasefire was in effect, while Ukraine reported Russian strikes on its power plants and gas facilities after the US president's announcement.

Parliament Speaker Juozas Olekas, meanwhile, stressed that any agreements must be consistent with Ukraine's interests and international law. He said an energy ceasefire would be an important step but must not involve unilateral concessions to Russia.

Olekas also said Lithuania would not recognise Ukrainian territories seized by Russia and supported Ukraine's right to determine its own domestic, foreign and security policies.