The President of Lithuania has sharply condemned any possibility of recognising Crimea as part of Russia, warning that such a move would be a dangerous mistake with long term consequences. President Gitanas Nausėda described the idea as a “time bomb” that would continue to explode and destabilise international security.
His comments were made following new statements by United States President Donald Trump, who suggested that Crimea should remain under Russian control. The Lithuanian leader, quoted by broadcaster LRT, made clear that any decision regarding Crimea must involve Ukraine first and foremost, as the country most affected by Russian aggression.
“If we do what is proposed and recognise Crimea de jure as Russian, it will be a time bomb that will explode and explode all the time,” said President Nausėda. He stressed the importance of consulting Ukraine, a nation that has suffered immense losses since the Russian invasion began. Nausėda pointed to the thousands of lives lost, the widespread destruction of infrastructure, and the devastation of Ukraine’s economy, which has suffered damage worth hundreds of billions of dollars (equivalent to hundreds of billions of pounds sterling).
“Ukraine, which has suffered so heavily, has every right to have the final word on these proposals,” he said.
Ukraine’s leadership has repeatedly and firmly rejected any idea of recognising Crimea or any other occupied territories as Russian. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made clear that Ukraine will never legally acknowledge the Russian occupation, a position backed by the majority of the international community, even among countries seeking to maintain relations with both sides.
In contrast, President Trump has criticised Ukraine’s refusal to concede Crimea, claiming that it hinders peace negotiations. He suggested Ukraine should have fought harder for Crimea earlier and blamed the Obama administration for “giving it away.” However, Trump has avoided directly answering whether the White House under his leadership would formally recognise Crimea as Russian to secure a peace deal.
Despite Trump’s calls for the war to end quickly, Ukrainian officials insist that peace cannot come at the price of territorial losses or legalising acts of aggression. President Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that there is “nothing to talk about” when it comes to recognising Crimea as Russian.
