Lithuanian president backs Trump Nato defence spending goal amid Russian threat

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the President’s palace in Vilnius, Lithuania (Mindaugas Kulbis/AP)

Securing an end to the fighting in Ukraine must take place with Kyiv’s full involvement and come with more defence spending by regional countries to avoid any future Russian aggression, according to Lithuania’s president.

Gitanas Nauseda, the president of the Baltic coastal nation, told The Associated Press in an interview on Thursday that a settlement negotiated without proper deterrent measures would allow Russia to consolidate its forces and prepare for further aggression in the region.