Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said that the voices of some voices that were questioning Ukraine's resilience and expected Kiev to fall to Russia within days or weeks at most, are now waving peace plans and urging Ukraine to accept concessions that undermine its sovereignty and territorial integrity in exchange for Russia's agreement to end the war.
In an article published by Politico, the Lithuanian foreign minister said that these "peace plans" are based on prevailing myths that "we must confront them before they become a fait accompli."
The seven myths according to the article are:
Ukraine is unable to regain its territory
Landsbergis highlighted that Ukraine refuted the claim that it did not have the capacity to reclaim its territory when it regained some territory that was under Russian control, from the suburbs of Kiev to Kharkiv and Kherson.
He argued that the Ukrainians have the will to fight and an effective strategy to regain all their territory, and that it is the pace at which Western support is proceeding that hinders their ability to act faster and causes the death toll to increase.
Russia is unbeatable
The Lithuanian foreign minister said that despite Russia's indifference to the lives of its soldiers and its willingness to throw them in front of the barrels of cannons, it has not yet been able to fill the gap in capabilities between it and Ukraine, as Ukrainian forces have high morale, competent leaders and technological means superior to those of the Russian army.
"We also need to accept the fact that the West, which enjoys production of defense industries still at peacetime levels, has not yet begun to project its full military power," Landsbergis said. The GDP of the Nordic and Baltic countries combined is higher than that of Russia, and it is such facts that should guide the West's strategy, not Moscow's narrative that it is a NATO equal."
Russia will be exhausted by war and turn to peace
For Landsbergis, the belief that Russia will be exhausted by war and eventually push it to agree to a peace deal embodies a fourth myth, justifying this by saying that "Putin is not ready to accept a fair and lasting peace. This last war, like the wars of 2008 and 2014, is fueled by Russian revenge, and when Western partners talk about a possible settlement of the conflict or a freeze, Moscow sees this as not a way out of the war, but rather as evidence that the West has become exhausted."
Continued talk of ending the war through negotiations will increase the cost of the conflict for Ukraine and its Western allies rather than bring peace closer.
"The settlement of this war should be on the battlefield, because any agreement that gives Russia real or perceived gains will only be a break before the next phase of this war," he said.
Crimea is Putin's red line
The fourth myth that contributes to preventing Ukraine from winning the war, according to the Lithuanian foreign minister, is the West's handling of the red lines drawn by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In his view, Putin likes to constantly draw red lines because he knows that the West will take them seriously, and that those lines limit the West's ability to make decisions quickly. He also argues that the internationally agreed border should be the only red line observed by the West, that Crimea is part of Ukraine, and that preventing Kiev from retaking it will never discourage Putin from yearning for more.
The West will have to deal with Russia and Putin after the war
The fifth myth, in the Lithuanian minister's view, is that Putin and some Western leaders are betting on the idea that "Russia will still be present" after the war, and then planning to return relations with it as before. This idea stems from the minister's perception of prevailing fears that Putin's successor will be harsher and seek revenge against him.
Landsbergis says the West should view Russia's defeat from a new perspective that does not see it as a threat but as an opportunity to build a different state that does not pose a threat to its neighbors.
All wars end in negotiations.
In his article, Lithuania's foreign minister believes that this claim is refuted by the facts of history, as European countries did not regain their territories after World War II by negotiating with the Nazi regime, for example.
"Has any ceasefire agreement with Russia ever brought sustainable peace? If so, why are Georgians still sleeping fearful that the next attack will target their backyard? Did the Minsk agreements stop the war or did they give Russia time to prepare for an all-out offensive instead?"
Baltic states and Poland only seek revenge against Russia
In his article, Landsbergis argues that the war on Ukraine is fueled by Russia's discontent with the collapse of the Soviet Union. He also sees Russia's revenge imperialist agenda as an existential challenge not only to Ukraine but to all Russia's neighbors, including his own country, Lithuania.
"Every decision we have made over the past three decades is about providing security for our people. When we warned about Russia's dangers, we were considered worrisome, but we proved to be right."
At the end of his article, Lithuania's foreign minister said: "We want a just and lasting peace. But if Ukraine is forced to compromise, it will bring neither justice nor peace. "For this reason, Ukraine's victory is our victory, and its security is our security. Only victory will prevent Putin from attacking us again."