The leaders of Poland and Lithuania urged the European Union to go further in Ukraine's support in the face of a Russian invasion ahead of a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said all sanctions against Russia should be discussed, including closing the Nord Stream pipeline that supplies Russian gas to Europe and cutting off its access to the global payment system SWIFT.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda also said it was important that Ukraine be provided with "real military assistance."
"I came to Berlin to shake the conscience of Germany so that they will finally decide on really tough sanctions that will influence the Kremlin's decisions," Morawiecki told reporters outside Scholz's office.
"We need to close Nord Stream 1 and 2, we need to reduce dependence on raw materials, disconnect Russian financial institutions from capital markets, seize oligarchic assets, close SWIFT for Russia... All sanctions against Russia must be lifted."
Speaking with Morawiecki, Nauseda said he would ask Scholz to support granting Ukraine EU candidate state status, and send it significant military assistance.
"I spoke to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the way here, and he said that a European perspective would be a great motivation for Ukrainians to fight for their future and that of their children," Nauseda said.
"And it is important to provide real military assistance to Ukraine now. This is the most important thing ... we need a quick decision," he added.
Just so you know, Russian troops pounded Ukrainian cities with artillery and cruise missiles on Saturday (26/2) for the third day in a row. But President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the capital Kyiv remained in Ukrainian hands.
Poland and Lithuania both share borders with Russia and Belarus. While Poland also borders Ukraine.
