Latest news with #Budrys
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lithuanian foreign minister urges strong response to Russia's overnight strike on Ukraine
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has called for a strong response to the Russian Federation's large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine. Source: Budrys on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: Budrys described Russia's night attack on Ukraine as "a show of sheer brutality". "Over 250 Shahed drones, 14 ballistic missiles and innocent lives lost. This wasn't just an attack. It was a message of impunity," the diplomat said. He emphasised that the response must be "stronger than Russian aggression". "More military support and weapons to Ukraine, harsher sanctions and isolation of Russia. Appeasement isn't a path towards peace – it's a permission to continue the aggression," Budrys stated. Background: Meanwhile, former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis sarcastically recalled that Ukraine had been promised Taurus missiles and crushing sanctions against the Russian Federation. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also called on the international community – particularly the United States – not to remain silent, and to step up pressure on the Kremlin. On the night of 24-25 May, Poland scrambled fighter jets in response to Russia's large-scale missile attack on Ukrainian territory. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'It is already being prepared' — Ukraine, Lithuania call for harsher sanctions against Russia in 18th package
Various European leaders are calling on the European Union to implement harsher sanctions against Russia in the upcoming 18th sanctions package. Speaking to reporters in Brussels on May 20, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said that harsher sanctions must be imposed as Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to reject a 30-day ceasefire proposal. "Deception, disruption, distraction, and delay, and the whole point of it is to avoid sanctions," Budrys , in a likely reference to Putin's phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump that yielded no commitments to a ceasefire. "We Europeans have to stop this vicious cycle and the instrument to stop it is to impose new sanctions." Budrys' comments come following the EU's of the 17th package of sanctions against Russia on May 20, primarily targeting its shadow fleet of oil tankers. Budrys further called on the EU to target Russia's energy, liquid natural gas (LNG), oil, and nuclear fuel exports as well as financial institutions. Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on May 19 on X that the next package of restrictions is "already in motion." President Volodymyr Zelensky echoed similar points in his evening address on May 20, stating that the next sanctions package "is already being prepared." Zelensky further called for the EU to to apply additional sanctions on "Russian oil, the tanker fleet, all their energy infrastructure that finances the war, all their banks, all financial schemes, and Russia's military industry." "A new European sanctions package — the 17th — is already in place. This is a step in the right direction, and there should be as many sanctioning steps as necessary for Russia to become interested in peace and to feel the full price of its aggression and desire to prolong the war," Zelensky said. Ukraine's European allies are tightening sanctions against Russia as Moscow refuses to cease fire. Despite Russia's refusal, no new U.S. sanctions have been imposed so far, with Trump saying that implementing sanctions "could also make it much worse," following the phone call with Putin. Several media outlets reported on May 20 on European leaders' frustrations the lack of U.S. sanctions against Russia, with a senior European official telling the New York Times (NYT) that Trump "never seemed invested in joining sanctions on Russia," the publication wrote. NYT further reported, citing a White House official, that Trump refuses to impose sanctions on Russia as it may hinder future business and trade opportunities with Moscow. Read also: Trump refusing to adopt sanctions against Russia as it would affect business opportunities with Moscow, NYT reports We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lithuanian foreign minister wears embroidered shirt to mark Vyshyvanka Day
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has congratulated Ukraine on Vyshyvanka Day and shared a photo of himself wearing a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt. [Vysvhyvanka Day is a holiday dedicated to preserving the iconic Ukrainian embroidered shirt, known as "vyshyvanka" – ed.] Source: Budrys on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: Budrys stated that "in every stitch of Ukrainian vyshyvanka lies the nation's identity and pride that cannot be erased". "By wearing it today we stand for Ukraine, its freedom, its people and their peaceful future within both the EU and NATO," he wrote. Additionally, Budrys posted a photo of himself wearing a vyshyvanka. Background: Earlier, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos shared a video greeting in Ukrainian to mark Vyshyvanka Day. Last year, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen also wore a vyshyvanka to celebrate Ukrainian culture on the occasion. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lithuanian foreign minister: Putin's answer to ceasefire proposal was a swarm of drones raining down on Ukraine
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys has stated that Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin is stalling "to avoid any real path to peace". Source: Budrys on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda Details: Budrys stated that Russia launched more than 100 attack drones against Ukraine during the night of 10-11 May. Quote: "Putin's answer to yet another ceasefire proposal: a swarm of 100 drones raining down on Ukraine overnight. Putin is playing his usual game – wielding terror as leverage and stalling for time to avoid any real path to peace." Details: In this context, Budrys called for the introduction of new sanctions against Russia if it refuses to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire starting on 12 May, a decision already agreed upon by the coalition of the willing. Quote: "Talking peace while Russian bombs keep falling on Ukrainian civilians is a farce. The rules are clear – unconditional ceasefire from Monday or face new tougher sanctions." Details: The minister stated that the fact that Putin hastily convened a press conference less than 24 hours after European leaders, supported by the US, demanded an unconditional ceasefire "tells us everything". "This approach works – and we must stick to it. Now we must follow through. If Russian guns do not go silent by Monday, a new round of sanctions must be enforced – without hesitation," Budrys concluded. Background: Following the summit on 10 May, the coalition of the willing demanded that Russia agree to an unconditional ceasefire for 30 days starting 12 May. In turn, Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin claimed that he is ready for "direct talks" with Kyiv in Istanbul on Thursday 15 May. However, he did not mention the proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. European Pravda reported that the EU and the US plan to ramp up sanctions against Russia if Putin rejects the ceasefire. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Allies must impose 'hard measures' on Russia to prevent stalled peace talks, Lithuanian FM says
Ukraine's allies must impose stricter measures on Russia "sooner than later" to prevent Moscow from dragging out peace talks and escalating its demands, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told The Kyiv Independent on April 1. "So, in purpose to cut this trend, in purpose to stop this scenario, we have to show and introduce the hard measures sooner than later," Budrys said. His remarks come amid U.S. President Donald Trump's effort to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow. Despite Trump's mediation, Moscow rejected a full 30-day ceasefire agreed upon between Ukraine and the U.S. in Jeddah on March 11, demanding concessions that would weaken Kyiv's defenses, including halting foreign military aid. Although Washington managed to secure a partial ceasefire, Russia went on to strike energy infrastructure in Kherson on March 27, contradicting its own claims that it would refrain from such attacks. Budrys stressed that Western powers must apply direct pressure to force Moscow to negotiate in good faith. "We haven't seen in history that Russia, without exact pressure, would agree on anything," he said. While Trump has floated the idea of additional sanctions and tariffs on Russian oil, he has yet to take concrete action. Budrys called for setting deadlines to prevent Russia from prolonging negotiations and insisted that the West's commitment to Ukraine must remain firm. "Now we are pressed in time, and we are pressed in the demand, and it is needed more from Europe to do now. Because we cannot rely, as the U.S. administration is showing us, so much on American capabilities," Budrys added. While the U.S. refuses to provide security guarantees to Ukraine, several European nations have been preparing plans to send troops to Ukraine as part of a "reassurance force" in case a ceasefire is reached. France is advocating for a European-led deployment along the Dnipro River, according to an unnamed French official cited by the Associated Press. Other proposals include stationing forces in western Ukraine or a neighboring country. French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed for the mission even without U.S. involvement, while U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has urged European allies to secure U.S. backing before moving forward. We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
