EU formins, Kasparov meet at Lithuania, Poland's initiative to talk Russian opposition

VILNIUS – EU foreign ministers have met with Garry Kasparov in Brussels on Monday at the initiative of Lithuania and Poland to discuss activities of Russia's  opposition.

"The goal of this meeting is to hear directly from representatives of the Russian opposition what they themselves are prepared to do to promote change in Russia and what kind of EU support for a democratic Russia would be the most useful," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Foreign Ministry.

The EU foreign ministers present at the meeting were interested to learn whether opposition figures who have fled Russia can continue to act in Russia and influence the population, and they were also eager to learn about initiatives to support Ukraine.

"On the anniversary of Russia's barbaric war against Ukraine and amid calls for "peace", it is important to state what Ukraine's victory means to us. We need to make it clear that "together until victory" means Ukraine's victory, reconquering all occupied territories occupied," the minister said.

EU ministers are meeting in Brussels on Monday to agree on new sanctions for Russia and the supply of ammunition to Ukraine.