Lithuania's Nauseda calls on Europe to stop being 'countless discussion club'

VILNIUS - Europe can no longer be a "countless discussion club" and must become a serious strategic player to ensure its own security and the security of Ukraine, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda says.

"We have to stop being a countless discussion club in Europe. We have to be a real global strategic player, and we can become such a player only if we are committed to taking a decisions instead of talking, talking, and talking," Nauseda told reporters on Thursday ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels.

"We have to strengthen our defense. We are doing it nationally, but we need pan-European decisions," the Lithuanian leader underlined.

Europe does not support Ukraine sufficiently to enable it to come to the negotiating table with Russia, having a stronger position, he said.

"I hear some rumors in the air about possible peace negotiations, and my opinion is that probably it is too early because right now Russia is in the offensive mode, Russia is going forward, Russia feels as the stronger side in every possible negotiation. And it would lead an unjust and unsustainable peace," Nauseda said. "If we try to make something of this situation, it will not be a just and sustainable peace, it will be an unjust and unsustainable peace."

"Unfortunately, we are not delivering it. I have told them many times that there are a lot of promises, but not so many promises we could keep," he said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be also attending the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday as EU leaders will discuss further support for Ukraine and its people and a new package of sanctions against Russia.

The meeting follows the idea put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron to send a contingent of European troops to Ukraine if Moscow and Kyiv agree on a ceasefire or peace.