Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda outlined a six-point action plan on Feb. 19 to support Ukraine and bolster European security as the U.S. sidelines Europe in talks with Russia to end the war, and concerns grow that negotiations could lead to a deal unfavorable to Kyiv.
"We must act now to support Ukraine and boost Europe's security. No more talk shops — time for action," Nauseda wrote on X.
His proposal includes security guarantees for Ukraine, emphasizing that "NATO membership should remain on the table." He also called for immediate funding for arms and a 10-billion-euro ($10.4 billion) investment in Ukraine's defense industry.
Nauseda stressed that Russia must be held accountable for war crimes, and sanctions should remain in place until its aggression ends, frozen assets are seized, and tariffs on Russian and Belarusian imports are implemented.
Over $300 billion of Russian central bank reserves remain frozen in Europe, including 191 billion euros ($198 billion) held in the Euroclear depository in Belgium.
The Lithuanian president also proposed accelerating Ukraine's EU accession, setting 2030 as the target date. "Ukraine's security is part of European security," he wrote.
Neither Ukraine nor Europe was invited to talks between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18. The move has set off alarm bells that the U.S. and Russia could reach an agreement on the war without Ukraine or Europe's involvement, and one that would put their future security in jeopardy.
The future of U.S. assistance for Ukraine under President Donald Trump's administration is also uncertain.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Feb. 12 also suggested that Ukraine's NATO membership is not a "realistic outcome" of ongoing negotiations and that Ukraine may not be able to fully restore its 2014 borders.
Ukraine has maintained that firm security guarantees — including NATO membership — are necessary to prevent Russia from rebuilding its military and potentially launching a new invasion if hostilities were to pause.
President Volodymyr Zelensky previously called NATO membership the "cheapest" security guarantee and a geopolitical victory for U.S. President Donald Trump.
Slavoj Žižek
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