Lithuania's former leader revealed details of her first meeting with Putin
Former Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė stated that during her first meeting with Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin demanded that her country effectively submit to its will and abandon its independent foreign policy.
She also mentioned Russian pressure on former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, Angela Merkel’s attempts to prevent a full-scale war, and expressed the view that, if no changes occur in Russia, an “iron curtain” could arise between Russia and Europe.
First Contacts with Putin and Energy Independence
In the interview, Grybauskaitė recalled her first meeting with the Russian president, during which the parties discussed Russian gas imports. According to her, it quickly became clear that Moscow was trying to use the negotiations to exert political pressure.
“It was clear that it was about submission. About capitulation. He read me a list of what, in his opinion, Lithuania was supposed to do. It was obvious that with neighboring countries, the approach was always the same: either you get on your knees, or you become an enemy. There are no middle ground options,” the former president said.
According to her, after that, Lithuania became the first country in the European Union to completely stop importing Russian gas, thereby securing its own energy independence.
Reflections on the Vilnius Summit
Grybauskaitė also recalled the events of the 2013 Vilnius Summit, when then-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych refused at the last minute to sign the Association Agreement with the European Union.
She stated that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had even agreed to find additional billions of euros in the EU budget to compensate Ukraine for the potential consequences of Russian sanctions. However, Yanukovych still refused to sign the document.
On the War, Russia, and the Future of Europe
Commenting on Russia’s full-scale invasion, Grybauskaitė stated that what surprised her most was “Russia’s stupidity.” In her view, the Kremlin not only failed to achieve its goals but also made Ukrainians its enemies for good and only strengthened Ukrainian national identity.
She also criticized the reaction of Western countries, stating that after the outbreak of the major war, the West had shown too much fear and a lack of political leadership.
At the end of the interview, Grybauskaitė expressed her hope that Russians would live in a democratic state that respects human rights. At the same time, she emphasized that if Russia does not change, it would be better for Europe’s security if an “iron curtain” were erected between it and Russia.
This was reported with reference to TVP World.
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