VLADIMIR Putin will launch an assault on Lithuania next if he conquers Ukraine, an ex-CIA boss has warned.
The caution comes as Zelensky slammed the Russian despot for “stalling peace talks” following his dismal attempts to get to the negotiating table.
David Petraeus, a retired US general and former CIA director, cautioned that an attack on the Baltic state would not be an isolated incident but part of a broader strategy to test the West.
At the Policy Exchange Think-Tank in London, Petraeus mentioned that Lithuania has “featured prominently” in Putin’s speeches, suggesting he might target the NATO state in his next assault.
Once the installation of a “puppet leader to control all of Ukraine” is complete, there is a significant likelihood that the focus will shift to one of the Baltic states, he added.
Taking aim at Trump, he said the US had dithered too much on “individual decisions” and was giving the Russian president too many second chances – causing immeasurable losses for Ukraine.
He said: “What we’ve seen is three incidences where the US President has threatened that in two weeks we’ll have to take a different approach.
“We’ll see this time what actually happens. The US also temporised far too long over individual decisions such as M1 [Abrams] tanks.
“A blind man on a dark night could see it had to be the F-16 (a multi- role fighter aircraft).”
Ukraine responded yesterday saying: “The Russians’ fear of sending their ‘memorandum’ to Ukraine suggests that it is likely filled with unrealistic ultimatums, and they are afraid of revealing that they are stalling the peace process.”
His comments come after Trump issued Vlad with a two-week deadline for a ceasefire following Russia’s deadly attack on Ukraine earlier this week.
Trump said in the Oval Office on Wednesday: “I’m very disappointed at what happened a couple of nights now where people were killed in the middle of what you would call a negotiation.”
He added: “When I see rockets being shot into cities, that’s no good. We’re not going to allow it.”
When asked if Putin really wants to end the war, Trump replied: “I can’t tell you that, but I’ll let you know in about two weeks.
“Within two weeks. We’re gonna find out whether or not he’s tapping us along or not.
“And if he is, we’ll respond a little bit differently.”
One of the largest stumbling blocks which is delaying any peace deal is said to be over Putin’s desire to control his former Soviet states and keep them away from Nato.
This includes Ukraine themselves with the Kremlin always saying Kyiv gaining access to the group is a complete no go under any circumstances.
Kyiv has repeatedly said that Moscow should have no say in its sovereign right to pursue Nato membership however.
He declared he will only call off the war in Ukraine if the West vows to keep its hands off Russia’s prized former Soviet states.
Putin even demanded he got the assurances in writing.
The Russian president said he wants a “written” pledge from Western leaders to stop Nato’s expansion to countries eastward, top Russian officials revealed to Reuters.
The eastward expansion refers to Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other former Soviet republics.
Putin is reportedly preparing for a major push to take more land in the north east.
Military analysts believe he is trying to press home his advantage and capture more Ukrainian land.
They warn that Putin only has a “four-month window” to get a breakthrough in Ukraine this year.
And this could be the beginning of Russia’s summer offensive targeting the border city of Kharkiv – the “fortress” city of Ukraine which put up the maximum resistance at the start of the invasion.
Reacting to the reports, German Chancellor Freidrich Merz predicted that peace was still a long way off.
He said: “Wars typically end because of economic or military exhaustion on one side or on both sides and in this war we are obviously still far from reaching that [situation].
“So we may have to prepare for a longer duration.”
