Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs: Russia isn’t a partner in addressing the Syrian issue, but a factor of the conflict
The minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius, stated in an interview with Die Presse that Russia isn’t a partner in addressing the Syrian issue, but a factor of the conflict.
“Russia isn’t a partner in addressing the Syrian issue, but a factor of the conflict. The Kremlin wants to gain control over Syria by any means necessary, even putting humanitarian efforts at risk. Moscow stops at nothing. The shelling of a humanitarian convoy is a demonstration of this,” the Lithuanian minister noted.
There are those from Western governments that are speaking about possible war crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Syria, the minister noted. Linas Linkevičius also said the initiatives related to the imposition of new anti-Russian sanctions are logical.
“Undoubtedly, we need a dialogue as well as diplomatic efforts, but the main thing in this issue is how we conduct this dialogue. Sometimes, concessions and compromises are regarded as correct tactics, but the other party perceives it as weakness. There are many examples of this – Syria again awakens us to the reality. Taking any position, we should remain true to it and consistent. However, contradictory signals are continually sent to Russia, and it shocks me,” Linkevičius explained.
According to the minister of foreign affairs of Lithuania, the demands of some EU countries, for example Hungary and Slovakia, to lift anti-Russian sanctions, serve short-term objectives and, probably, business interests. “There were so many lessons in the past,” the minister stressed. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine previously called on the UN Security Council to investigate war crimes committed by the Russian Federation in Syria.