Russia will not begin serious peace negotiations until at least spring 2027 and will continue striking Ukrainian cities during the winter. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda said this in an interview with WELT, cited by The Telegraph.
“At present, the Russian leadership sees no need to enter into negotiations – at least until spring 2027,” Nausėda said.
According to him, Moscow will continue to pressure Kyiv with missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. The Lithuanian president dismissed the possibility of Russia participating in a peace process in good faith.
He added that if Ukraine makes it through the winter, the chances of serious negotiations in 2027 will increase. “I do not expect them to take place any earlier,” the Lithuanian president said.
Call for air defense
Nausėda called for international support for Ukraine to continue, stressing the need for air defense systems and assistance in rebuilding its energy infrastructure.
“That is precisely why we must continue providing military assistance to Ukraine, especially air defense systems. At the same time, we must help rebuild its energy infrastructure,” he said.
According to the Lithuanian president, Russia is also continuing its hybrid war against Europe. He pointed to illegal migration, weather balloons entering airspace, and drones coming from Ukraine or Russia.
“We have received intelligence about possible provocations,” Nausėda said.
According to him, Lithuania has accelerated measures to strengthen its border, as Poland has also done. He does not expect an imminent large-scale Russian attack on NATO territory, but predicts that provocations will continue.
Nausėda said that Russia’s resources are committed to the battlefield in Ukraine and that Moscow is not achieving success there. At the same time, he warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin “is constantly moving closer to invoking Article 5” of the North Atlantic Treaty, which provides for collective defense.
Meeting in Abu Dhabi
Against this backdrop, a trilateral meeting between representatives of Ukraine, the United States and Russia is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on November 10 and 11. According to Reuters, the participants will discuss ending the war, security arrangements after its conclusion and de-escalation.
The American side expects progress before the start of winter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the first step should be a ceasefire, while future peace should be based on concrete security guarantees, a strong army and funding for the country.
Sources: unian.net, telegraph.co.uk