Any arbitrary “red lines” regarding military aid to Ukraine must be crossed to ensure its victory over Russia, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said in an interview with Spiegel.

Nauseda mentioned the “red lines” when he talked about how Germany went from promising Ukraine only helmets and bulletproof vests to approving the export of Leopard 1 and 2 tanks, adding that “Germany’s decisions do not send a positive signal not only to Ukraine, but also to all other NATO allies,” Kyiv Independent quotes.

“It is quite clear to me that we must cross all the red lines. Otherwise, we are wasting time. People are killed and tortured every day. Deportation of children is the order of the day, as is the bombing of infrastructure. Looking back, we lost time because we hesitated for a long time to make certain decisions,” Nauseda said.

Modern fighters for Kyiv

The Lithuanian president emphasized that the decision of the Western allies to deploy tanks so many weeks after the start of the war was “a very high price” and that it is necessary to understand that Russia is “a very dangerous aggressor that knows no borders.”

Therefore, another “red line” that should be crossed is the supply of advanced Western-style fighter jets to Ukraine, Nauseda believes.

“Airspace is an important element in this war. And in order for Ukraine to be able to defend itself effectively, it needs planes and more air defense systems. This is important not only for Ukraine, but also for our security,” he said.

Critics say the allies’ refusal to supply Ukraine with F-16, Typhoon and Dassault fighter jets, as well as long-range ATACMS missiles, could prevent Kiev from launching a counteroffensive and liberating the rest of Ukraine. Ukraine’s lack of advanced aviation and missiles is likely to continue Russia’s war of aggression.

Negotiations would allow Russia to strengthen

Nauseda went on to say that pushing Ukraine to the negotiating table would allow Russia to “consolidate, stop, and then strike again.”

According to Nauseda, Russia “will demand unrealistic concessions. But no one has the right to demand that a free and independent country sell its territory for the sake of peace. It is unacceptable. Ukraine alone can and should solve this.”

The Lithuanian president’s words stand in stark contrast to an April 18 Bloomberg report that French President Emmanuel Macron wants China to help bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table, possibly by summer.

Nauseda also discussed the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius, saying it would be an “important historical moment” where the military alliance can show it is “aware of the danger” posed by Russia.

On April 20, during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyi in Kyiv, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Ukraine’s accession to NATO would be a “priority on the agenda” of the summit scheduled for July.