A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
We want to turn back to questions about some other key international challenges, so we're going to focus here on Russia and its invasion of Ukraine. At a CNN town hall back in May, President-elect Trump claimed he'd end the conflict easily.
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DONALD TRUMP: I meet with Putin. I meet with Zelenskyy. They both have weaknesses, and they both have strengths. And within 24 hours, that war will be settled. It'll be over.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
But that war may be entering a new phase following the Biden administration's decision to allow Ukraine to fire long-range U.S.-made missiles into parts of Russia. We wanted to get a European perspective on this, so we've called the European Union's ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Jovita Neliupsiene. Ambassador, good morning. Thank you so much for joining us.
JOVITA NELIUPSIENE: Good morning.
MARTIN: So on Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to Biden's decision on missiles by lowering the threshold for Russia's use of nuclear weapons, essentially allowing Russia to use nukes on any nation that it believes has attacked it with the backing of nuclear power. How is that being seen within the EU?
NELIUPSIENE: This is not the first time when Russia has threatened a nuclear escalation, which completely is irresponsible. We all know that nuclear war cannot be won, so must not be ever fought. And, you know, Russia can have a lot of documents, but the problem is that Mr. Putin never obeys either his own documents or the rules of the international society. And on top of that, I think that it does not really change our position. We support Ukraine and we stand by Ukraine as long as it takes.
MARTIN: On this question of the U.S. finally allowing these particular missiles to be used, this is something that Ukraine has been asking for months. So now some are saying it's too little too late, but others wonder whether this could actually push Russia to the negotiating table in a serious way. What do you think?
NELIUPSIENE: Well, we all want peace. And, you know, our position was always that it has to be - if it comes to the peace table, Ukraine has to come there with - from the strength position because Ukraine was attacked by Russia, not otherwise, and it - this peace talks should happen with Ukraine only sitting at the table. And Russia's war of aggression is against Ukraine. And it's not only a war in Europe, it has global consequences, you know, on the stability, on security, on prices of energy, on many more aspects of our lives.
MARTIN: It does seem that this incoming administration seems to be skeptical of the U.S. support for Ukraine. What if Trump opts to withdraw U.S. support of Ukraine? Is the European Union prepared to assume the burden of defense spending?
NELIUPSIENE: Well, look, this war is lasting already for 1,000 days, and European support was unwavering all through that period. We committed 168 billion for Ukraine for financial, economic, refugee and defense support. You know, it's at our borders. It's not somewhere else. You cannot switch it off like a TV. The war is going on every day, and million of people - of Ukraine have gone through an unthinkable suffering. I think that it's already very much clear that European support is there, and we just have no choice, as the same as Ukraine - Ukrainian people has no choice.
MARTIN: So will - that would indicate that there would be no consequence for the administration pulling back if you're saying that the EU is prepared to step forward now. I mean, does that send a signal that there's no reason for the Trump administration not to withdraw its support of Ukraine?
NELIUPSIENE: Well, we did this - we did support, and we are continuing support Ukraine together. You know, the capabilities of - defense capabilities in U.S. is much bigger. Their - Russia's Putin actually said not once and not twice that this war is not only against Ukraine. You know, he doesn't need extra territories. Russia is large. He needs to change the government in Ukraine. He wants Ukraine has no choice. And again, he is fighting this war against the West as such, not only as against Ukraine. And he said that publicly. I think that it's - his choice is actually to undermine our way of living. And think - I think that everyone in Europe and here in U.S. takes very dear our values, our democracy, our choices we make and our possibility to live in freedom.
MARTIN: So before we let you go, just very briefly, if you can, Ambassador. In his first term, Mr. Trump made it clear that he is skeptical about the NATO alliance. Do you think that European leaders might be able to persuade him otherwise in his next term?
NELIUPSIENE: The war is changing. European countries already are paying up to 2%, and I think everybody is ready because the war in Ukraine - Russia's war in Ukraine actually changed the way of thinking.
MARTIN: That is the EU's ambassador to the United States, Jovita Neliupsiene. Ambassador, thank you so much for joining us and sharing these insights with us.
NELIUPSIENE: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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