In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis called for regime change in Moscow, urging NATO to take a tougher stance on Russia.
Landsbergis claimed the only way to protect regional countries from Moscow was by removing Russian President Vladimir Putin and the entire Russian government.
“From our standpoint, up until the point the current regime is not in power, the countries surrounding it will be, to some extent, in danger. Not just Putin but the whole regime because, you know, one might change Putin and might change his inner circle but another Putin might rise into his place,” he said.
Landsbergis’s comments mark a significant escalation in rhetoric from a NATO country toward Russia. In March, President Biden said Putin “cannot remain in power,” but the White House quickly downplayed his comments, saying the US is not seeking regime change in Moscow.
Lithuania and its fellow Baltic states of Latvia and Estonia are seeking an increased NATO military presence in the region. Landsbergis said the three nations will express this to NATO leaders during an upcoming summit in Madrid this June.
“It has to be reflected that NATO has to change its posture in eastern flank more. In the Baltic states we kind of we feel that we are approaching this point where we are more and more resembling the feeling of West Berlin and during the years of the Cold War,” Landsbergis said.
What took them so long?
Unfortunately Lithuania can’t choose its neighbours, but they can make their opinions known at least.
Send your sons daughters father , mother, and grand kids to the battle front .Regime might collapse .
Gnome talking tough better hope he doesn’t get thermonuclear Bronx cheer.
Yes, we are hoping for the same in America. If Biden, Harris and obama are replaced the world would be a safer place!
The Kremlin paranoia and especially Putin’s have for years being afraid of NATO expansion as if somehow they are planning to invade Russia. This is absurd. Who the hell wants to invade Russia, the largest country in the world with some of the coldest regions and zero warm beaches? Even if Finland and Ukraine join NATO, zero encirclement of Russia will be achieved. I don’t recall one instance in which any NATO country nor Ukraine ever attempted to invade Russia. The Russian Federation on the other hand, has a history of invading neighboring countries and post-Soviet Union has invaded and taken land from Moldova, Georgia, and now Ukraine (plus the Belarusian colony and holding on to Japanese Islands). Lithuania sees Russia as an existential threat (Russia has the capability plus Intent). And Russia has validated that with the invasion of Ukraine hence why Poland, Baltic States, and now Finland are on high alert. I totally understand Lithuania’s request for regime change although I believe it is at the very least, a generational change if it ever happens.
“Who the hell wants to invade Russia, the largest country in the world with some of the coldest regions and zero warm beaches?”
Possibly the dumbest statement ever printed in the comment section. It’s cold and there are no beaches. Feel safe Russia.
I am very Sorry, I forgot, Only you has the smartest statements and comments.
Do you need a friend? Someone to talk to?
You don’t have to be so condescending all the time. Don’t get so angry, this is a just a blog.
C’mon man, what did you expect? If you are going to print such stupid sh*t, expect to be called out. I don’t claim to be smart, but I know I’m not THAT dumb.
C’om, man!! You extracted and dissected one line out of my paragraph without addressing the main theme. Didn’t you call me out once for allegedly not reading the entire thing before commenting on one sentence? Again, this is a blog, not a post graduate research paper. I could find many ways to call you stupid and/or dumb but, It won’t make any happier.
I was being kind. The main theme was rubbish. Having a hostile alliance on your borders is a threat. Period.
Its not about invasion of Russia its about a Ukraine in Nato which could host nukes 7 mins away from Moscow which would seriously effect Russians repsonse time. Was the US paranoid when nukes were in Cuba.
What difference does it make when NATO has nuclear subs in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, Artic, and Pacific Ocean. Plus NATO/US have stealth Nuclear missiles?
Then don’t deploy them if they make no difference. Easy fix.
You are the smart one, why don’t you articulate that to the US government? They’ll probably listen to you .
That’s what Russia is doing presently. They did it before the invasion but no one listened.
“Who the hell wants to invade Russia, the largest country in the world with some of the coldest regions and zero warm beaches?”
Here is one answer. Sweden in 1708. Napoleon’s France in 1812.
The Ottoman Empire in WW1
Germany tried twice: in WW1 and WW2.
Today the objective is to weaken Russia which is a major competitor in the Middle East for us and GB.
The Saudi’s will remain on the sideline until we win if we do.
Hey, you forgot the Roman Empire.
It’s easy to be flippant when it’s not your country that was nearly annihilated twice in a span of 150 years, both times from the west over the Ukraine plains. It’s particularly easy if you are USUK, protected by seas and friendly neighbors. Russians don’t have these luxuries.
What if the newly minted Russian government intends to recreate the Soviet Union?
Any “regime change” in Russia is likely to produce less-US/NATO-friendly, not more-US/NATO-friendly, results, at least in the short term, if for no other reason than that any new regime would have to prove itself versus accusations of being a US/NATO pawn regime.
However, it’s unlikely that any new regime would fantasize about recreating the Soviet Union.
While Putin has characterized the disintegration of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact as an historical calamity, his own ambitions seem to have been more along the lines of slowing/stopping, than reversing, the Russian empire’s ongoing decline. A NATO-affiliated Ukraine was a “red line” in that project rather than the invasion of Ukraine being some kind of megalomaniac tantrum.
That may be the one advantage the Russian political class has versus the western political class. The latter is also in decline, but either doesn’t realize it or refuses to accept it and continues to act as if it’s in the heyday of its power.
Talk about “the Mouse That Roared” … aren’t we glad to be in military alliance with such stalwarts as this nation? Nations so relevant to world affairs, so intrinsically important to the world economy, it makes sense to be allied with them and defend them?
After all, if Russia rules Lithuania, next step is Chicago, right?
Help me out here but I’ve been in Lithuania and Estonia and whatever that other country is and has there ever been any reason to think Russia is going to attack any of the Baltic countries or is Landsbergis just some posturing MIC warmonger shill?
“or is Landsbergis just some posturing MIC warmonger shill?”
That.
The other country is Latvia. Did you actually talk to the locals or were you just sightseeing? Russia considers the independence of the Baltic states and their active role in NATO and the EU as threats to Russia’s security, sovereignty, and autonomy. Since they joined NATO, Russia (Kremlin) has been making threats and has put forces near their borders plus the annual military massive exercise called ‘Zapad’ (Russian for West) right next to them in Belarus. There are also many Russians that live in Narva, Estonia (I visited that town couple years ago and wrote a paper about it). You can literally throw a rock across the bridge and hit Russia. One morning after the collapse of Soviet Union, the Russians there woke up and they were basically Estonians. Right now they are practically stateless as they don’t want to be Estonian citizens and unless they move to Russia, they cannot enjoy their former nationality rights. Putin has indicated in the past that he would like to annex Narva but it’s NATO territory. I’m convinced, if Putin would’ve rolled right through Ukraine, Narva was going to be next as it is next to Saint Peterburg and would’ve expanded their Baltic Sea port cities.
“Russia considers the independence of the Baltic states and their active role in NATO and the EU as threats to Russia’s security, sovereignty, and autonomy.”
As indeed they are. It’s exactly as if Mexico would join a military alliance with Russia or China … I’m sure we would not accept that with full equanimity.
Russia acts as great powers have always acted throughout history, none more so than USUK.
Good point and I agree with you on that.
Yeah, Latvia. I always get that mixed up with Latveria. I was in the Baltic countries before they joined NATO and if there was any concern Russia was going to invade I didn’t notice it. Of course that was back when the Baltics were neutral, which apparently wasn’t working for them. I remember noting how rapidly they flipped to English as the other language when the Soviets were gone. I don’t know about Narva but I expect if the Russians were going to invade it they would have before Estonia joined NATO. And as far as throwing a rock and hitting Russia yeah, that’s how borders work. When I was in Russia I could drop a rock and hit it.
Great chatting with you. Hope you can revisit those countries again someday to include Russia. Throw Minks, Belarus in the mix. Great beautiful city and most youth speak good English.
All three countries have leaders that grew into prominence during Cold War. During war tgey were Hitler’s allies and rear guard too withdrawing German troups. Hundreds of thousands of Soviet soldiers perished fighting through rear guard — including Poland — to reach concentration camps and then on to Berlin.
It is NOT Russia they fear. It is knowing what they did to Russia during the war, and what are they doung to Russian citizens tiday.
Nazis comming out of their anti-communist closet. Being “disenters” in Soviet Union meant for all Nazi supporting countries in WWII — a life-line being offered in money, political support and the media aura of romanticusm.
But we know that as soon as Soviet Union fell appart, Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Ukrainian Nazis came out in uniforms and torch parades. All sern. All witnessed. But Western societirkes are too unaware of danger, Look at what it did to Ukraine when they grabbed power. Ruke of the law gets trashed. The thugs rule supreme.
Only Russia has been briging attentiin to this skurge for years. Nobody in the West cared,
What is the grand idea. I think I know. Make Nazis hip again, so they can disapoear anyone who objects, and silence others in fear. So, let us make Nazism cool in Germany again! Then watch them bleed both.
This is Anglo way of correcting mistakes of WWII.
They needed Russia to get hands dirty by fighting through streets of Berlin, while they offered Marshall plan to Germany, and economically isolated Soviet Union.
Germany is wanted — again. To step on that rake for the third time?
Bismarck turning in his grave. Resurect Prussia and get back to being a real country that it was before Keiser, Queen Victoria grandson came to power. Fired Bismarck, got Germany into disaster of WWI, then retired comfy in Belgium.
Sources to your drunken rants please.