'Ukraine buying precious time for us every day, paying with their blood' - Lithuanian President

He noted that “there is no need to explain … how important this meeting is” because “Ukraine buying the precious time for us every day, paying with their blood.”

“It would be highly irresponsible to waste this time and to have long hours discussions without the clear outcome,” Nausėda said.

The Lithuanian president calls for a “flexible” approach to defense spending within the budget deficit and greater support for Ukraine. Nausėda also emphasizes that the EU needs to strengthen its eastern flank to help protect critical infrastructure from acts of sabotage, hybrid aggression and other forms of subversion of border countries.

Commenting on French President Emmanuel Macron's idea of expanding the French nuclear umbrella, he said that this would be “as a really, very serious deterrence towards Russia.”

Nauseda also said that the EU must make a decision today, despite potential opposition from Hungary or Slovakia, “because otherwise history will penalise us.”

“It’s lasting too long, our inability to take decisions. And now it’s the time [to act],” he added.

EU summit

Today, March 6, a special meeting of the European Council will be held in Brussels. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy will take part in the EU leaders' summit.

EU leaders will gather to discuss increased defense spending and assistance to Ukraine. Brussels expects Hungary to oppose the proposal.

Earlier, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and Europe would prepare a plan for sustainable peace. According to the President of Ukraine, this will happen soon.