Lithuanian president meets with Ukrainian MPs, vows continuous support

VILNIUS – Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda met with a group of Ukrainian lawmakers visiting Lithuania on Monday and vowed to continue pooling political support for Ukraine. He also urged Ukraine to continue efforts to fight corruption and money laundering in pursuit of EU membership.

"Ukraine must get what it needs on the battlefield. Ukraine's victory must be the West's strategic goal. Otherwise Russia's threat to both our region and Eastern Neighborhood countries will become even greater," the president told members of the Verkhovna Rada delegation.

The Lithuanian leader stressed that politicians' job is to mobilize political support for Ukraine, and assured that Lithuania consistently urges its allies to increase and accelerate military support for Ukraine

Nauseda also stressed that Ukraine's place is in the European Union and NATO, therefore, it is important for the country to use the window of opportunity for a positive decision on the start of EU accession negotiations to be made by the end of this year. In his words, a prerequisite for this is the implementation of the reforms identified in the European Commission's opinion on Ukraine's EU membership application.

The delegation of Verkhovna Rada members started its visit to Lithuania on Monday. The Ukrainian lawmakers are scheduled to meet with Speaker of the Lithuanian Seimas Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, other politicians, and also visit the southern city of Druskininkai.

The Ukrainian delegation will stay in Lithuania until Thursday.