Grybauskaite to Israel - do not believe Putin's words

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told interview to Israeli media that Russian President Vladimir Putin's deeds, and not words should be taken into consideration.

When asked by i24news.tv to advise Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the relations with Russia, she said “usually our experience with today's Russia led by Putin, we usually say 'don't believe what they say, just try to check what they do”.” 

Grybauskaite added Putin's actions in Syria is not a war against Islamic State but is an attempt to support the regime of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

She also said the West should rethink its actions with regard to Russia. 

According to Grybauskaite, the lack of leadership in the Western world has led to a vacuum that Putin is striving to fill.

"I think that the problem of a lack of leadership is seen not only in your region but also in Europe.

“Exactly because of that we've got the very difficult situation in Ukraine, and we still have a difficult situation on our borders, in [the Russian region] Kaliningrad where Russia is exercising and trying to frighten us.”

"I think the West, which was trying to stick only to sanctions, probably did not do everything possible. 

“We've got a mess in Libya, now we are facing probably an even larger mess in Syria.

“I think for us in the West we have to rethink our actions," she concluded.