Russia's war against Ukraine: a Lithuanian perspective

ENIn this essay, we present the Lithuanian perspective on Russia’s war against Ukraine. We discuss the facts on the ground, the attribution of responsibility, and touch upon the potential ways forward. In Lithuania’s view, it is clear that Russia is responsible for the war and all of the associated outcomes, including first and foremost the loss of life and other forms of suffering in Ukraine, the destruction of Ukraine’s economy and civil infrastructure, but also the wider repercussions for the world regarding higher prices, increased instability, and heightened political/military tensions. We refute the argument that the enlargement of NATO/EU in any way provoked or posed a threat to Russia and instead argue that this process created conditions for economic growth and stability in the admitted countries. Finally, on both moral and practical grounds, we suggest that the best course of action for creating long-lasting conditions for peace and stability is to support Ukraine in its struggle against the illegal and unprovoked invasion. Keywords: Russia-Ukraine war; responsibility; credibility; NATO enlargement.