Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda does not believe that a conventional Russian attack on NATO territory is likely at present; however, he expects that provocations by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin will continue, reports Politico.In an interview with the media outlet WELT, Nausėda stated that he does not consider Russia capable of conducting large-scale operations at this time. Russian resources are tied up on the battlefield in Ukraine, where Moscow is failing to achieve success. The President added that Putin will continue to test NATO, increasingly pushing toward a scenario that could challenge Article 5.According to Nausėda, the Russians want to observe how the alliance responds to hybrid attacks—a category that includes airspace violations by drones, cyberattacks, and acts of arson. Consequently, such hybrid attacks will persist, occurring not only along NATO’s eastern flank but also in Germany, Denmark, and other nations. The Lithuanian President noted that Russia is testing the strength of the alliance’s resolve, as well as whether a collective response will be triggered once the Russians cross certain “red lines.” Nausėda indicated that he sees no serious desire on the part of Russia to engage in talks on ending the war in Ukraine before next spring. Moscow will use the winter months to exert pressure on Ukraine. He added that the Russians would merely pretend to discuss ending the war, and that he does not trust them. The Lithuanian leader emphasized that Putin would put forward demands that are, from the very outset, unacceptable to Ukraine. However, if Ukraine survives this winter—and Nausėda is confident that it will—then the prospects for beginning serious negotiations will increase by 2027; he does not, however, expect them to happen any sooner.
Lithuanian President warns: Russian provocations will continue
