Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas

08/25/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/25/2026 07:19

President in Ukraine: Building resilience starts with a clear grasp of threats

On Monday in Kyiv, President Gitanas Nausėda of Lithuania took part in the 6th Summit of First Ladies and Gentlemen titled "World 2026: Finding Stability in Times of Uncertainty."

During the summit, a key discussion focused on resilience. The Lithuanian President, alongside Estonian President Alar Karis and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, participated in the session titled "A New Architecture of Shared Resilience: From National to Global Resilience."

The President highlighted that resilience starts with a clear awareness of threats. He stated that Lithuanian society, government bodies, and political leaders all acknowledge that Russia is an existential threat to the entire West.

"The West is not yet at war, but it is no longer living in peace. The principles of peaceful coexistence that have applied until now have lost their meaning. We must clearly acknowledge this and take concrete actions to defend peace," says the President.

The Head of State stated that Russia's provocations and hybrid attacks are being countered, but the West frequently responds reactively and with limited resolve, while Russia continues to act more aggressively. The President emphasised the need to intensify pressure on Russia and its allies through sanctions, international isolation, and efforts to pressure third countries aiding in sanctions evasion.

The President noted that Lithuania is learning a great deal from Ukraine's experience in strengthening its military and civil resilience. The country is increasing defence funding and strengthening its armed forces and reserves, civil protection and crisis management capabilities, the protection of critical infrastructure, and municipalities' preparedness to meet the population's essential needs in the event of a crisis or war. "We must not only strengthen military defence but also ensure that every individual, organisation, and institution knows their role in the event of a crisis or war. Societal preparedness and trust in institutions are integral to state resilience," says the President.

According to the Lithuanian leader, to strengthen overall European resilience, the closest possible cooperation between NATO and the European Union is essential - both to align resilience requirements and to deter Russia and prevent further escalation.

The President's Communication Group
Last updated 2026.08.25 16:06

Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas published this content on August 25, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 25, 2026 at 13:19 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]