Lithuanian president welcomes US efforts, calls for more pressure on Kremlin

VILNIUS - Following Friday's talks between the US president and Vladimir Putin, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda welcomed Donald Trump's efforts to end the war started by Russia and called to impose tougher sanctions against the Kremlin.

"I welcome the efforts of President Trump to end Russia's war of aggression and pursue peace in Ukraine. Following President Trump's statement on U.S. readiness to provide security guarantees, Lithuania is prepared to contribute as part of the Coalition of the Willing," the Lithuanian leader said in an X post.

He noted, however, that more pressure was needed, including tougher international sanctions, as Russia showed unwillingness to stop the war in Ukraine.

"The killing of innocent civilians must stop before negotiating a peace deal!" Nauseda stressed.

Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys also called to keep pressuring Russia.

"We must stick to what works: prepare the 19th EU sanctions package, keep pressuring Russia, increase military support to Ukraine and speed up EU path, and above all - defend the principles of international law. Transatlantic unity remains crucially important," he said in an X post.

Trump met Putin in Alaska on Friday but the talks ended with no ceasefire announcement or apparent breakthrough to end Moscow's more than three-year-long invasion of Ukraine.

After the summit, Trump spoke first with the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, the White House said. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later joined the call, officials said.

A diplomatic source told AFP on Saturday that the Washington had proposed security guarantees for Ukraine similar to those of NATO but without joining the bloc.

However, Trump also ruled out an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine after his inconclusive summit with Putin, saying a direct peace agreement would end the war.

Zelensky is due in Washington on Monday for talks with Trump.

The second source told AFP that Zelensky is to discuss what form a possible Trump-Putin-Zelensky summit would have, the role of Kyiv's European allies in peace talks, territories, and security guarantees.