LITHUANIA, February 23 - On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has met with Manfred Weber, Chair of the European People’s Party (EPP) Group in the European Parliament, to discuss the security situation in Ukraine and a united response to Russia’s aggression.

‘Unlike during previous aggressions against neighbouring countries, now no one believes in Russia’s propaganda. Its attempts in the past to portray the reality different than it truly was may have been effective, notably with some Western politicians, but today no one has the slightest doubt as to who the aggressor is and who is the victim’, said the Prime Minister, adding that the support for Ukraine must continue, so should the efforts of the West to raise the price tag for further aggression through sanctions to Moscow.

‘Russia’s ruling elite is trying to undermine liberal Western democracies while taking advantage of their achievements and prosperity. They have in the West their assets and property that are safe thanks to the rule of law that is there, their children study at EU universities, their relatives are treated in EU hospitals, and their property is registered in EU cities and resorts on behalf of their spouses’, said the Prime Minister.

According to the Prime Minister, Russian leaders find inconvenient a European and democratic Ukraine whose success story may as well galvanize Russia itself. And this is one of the reasons why Ukraine must be given a clear prospect on its further path of European integration.

Manfred Weber, the leader of the European People’s Party Group of the European Parliament (EP), has arrived in Lithuania on a solidarity visit staying for a couple of days in Vilnius. This evening, the Prime Minister will attend a remote summit of the European People’s Party (EP).