European Union must stand firm in face of Vladimir Putin's plot to rebuild 'Soviet Union 2.0', says Lithuania

Daily Telegraph UK

12 Jan, 2022 10:00 PM3 mins to read

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during an event marking the 300th anniversary of Russian Prosecution service with Russian Prosecutor General Igor Krasnov. Photo / AP

Vladimir Putin is plotting to rebuild the "Soviet Union 2.0", Lithuania's foreign minister has said, before warning the US and NATO not to cut troop numbers in Eastern Europe.

Gabrielius Landsbergis said the EU needed to be "more involved" and "offer solutions" to the crisis, prompted by fears of Russian invasion sparked by a build-up of 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border.

He also called on the EU to review its sanctions against Russia and Belarus to close loopholes and make sure they still had teeth.

Lithuania was in "constant contact" with the US during its Geneva talks with Russia, Landsbergis said. Washington had offered a high level of transparency over the negotiations, which did not involve the EU.

Ukrainian soldiers use a launcher with US Javelin missiles during military exercises in Donetsk region. Photo / Ukrainian Defense Ministry Press Service / AP

There has been speculation the US could offer to reduce troops in the region in return for a similar drop in Russian military numbers on the border with Ukraine, as part of an eventual deal.

But Landsbergis warned that any moves to reduce NATO troop numbers in the region would be a "red line" for European capitals.

He told The Telegraph, "The worst thing is worsening the security situation.That could happen in multiple scenarios.

"It can happen with actions of Belarus, it happened with the attack on Ukraine and it could happen with reducing troop numbers in the region. Since this is a fragile situation this is probably a red line for many capitals.

"There is this sense of rebuilding the Soviet Union 2.0," he said, pointing to Russian troop [presences in Georgia, parts of Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko, and Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Fomin. Photo /AP

"Putin was saying that the biggest political mistake of 20th century was the dissolution of the Soviet Union. We see this federal feeling, this loss of empire and the need to rebuild it with events that are taking place everywhere," Landsbergis said.

Lithuania, now a NATO and EU member, was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1939.

Landsbergis said that Putin's demands that Ukraine and other countries never join NATO were unacceptable and it was up to Kyiv alone to decide whether to apply to join the alliance.

"NATO is an open door Alliance, and you have to remain as such. It is up to Ukraine to decide in democratic ways if it wants to join Nato," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a recording of his annual televised New Year's message. Photo / Kremlin Press service / AP

'A handgun to the head'

Russia is rushing to push an agenda, he added, but there would be no quick deal to defuse the situation, especially as the Kremlin was holding a "handgun" to the West's head.

"The only thing that we know is that Russia is a disrupter," he said.

Lithuania sees recent Russian behaviour as a pattern stretching back to 2008 and the invasion of Georgia. The difference now is that the tremors of Russian "geopolitical disruption" were now being felt more widely than just the Baltic nations.

Landsbergis said there was evidence that Belarusian state-owned companies had found loopholes to escape EU sanctions and that those needed to be closed.