Lithuanian defence minister doubts Zelensky letter to Putin will yield results

VILNIUS - Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas expressed doubt on Friday that President Volodymyr Zelensky's letter to Vladimir Putin would yield results, calling on the international community to increase support and provide necessary weaponry to Kyiv.

In an open letter, Zelensky told the Kremlin leader that "Ukraine proposes to end the war through direct cooperation between us and you" and suggested a meeting. The letter also said Ukraine is prepared for a full ceasefire during the negotiation period.

"Will this letter produce the desired effect? There is hope, but it is probably naive to expect that Putin will simply withdraw. The entire international community should unite further, support Ukraine more and provide the necessary weaponry so that Ukraine's military advantage over Russia grows," Kaunas told reporters.

According to Kaunas, Lithuania hopes for a just peace, which would mean a full withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied Ukrainian territories, including Crimea.

"Every step taken to show the Russians that this is a war they caused, and that all the consequences and deaths of Ukrainian people are solely because of them, is, I believe, welcome," the minister said.