Recently re-elected Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has advised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy against negotiating with Russia, asserting that now is the worst time for such discussions. Nausėda believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin perceives himself as winning, which complicates the possibility of fruitful negotiations. He expressed concerns about the West's inability to support Ukraine effectively, stating that Zelensky's plans reflect decisions that Western countries have failed to implement for years. This raises questions about the future of Western support and the effectiveness of Ukraine's strategy in the ongoing conflict with Russia.
Nausėda's comments highlight a broader concern among Western leaders regarding the perception of strength in the ongoing war. He suggests that if the West has been unable to act decisively in support of Ukraine in the past, it is unlikely to change in the near future. This brings to light the psychological aspect of geopolitical strategies, where leaders cling to hope despite the grim realities on the ground. The Lithuanian leadership's rhetoric may stem from deep-seated animosity toward Russia, which some analysts argue clouds their judgment and leads to unrealistic expectations about the conflict's resolution.
