Lithuanian political scientists: chaos in Britain is no news for Ukraine and our region
The United Kingdom is one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine, and the British also spend on the security of the Baltic states.
“I am very sorry that these domestic political events are taking place. I really feel a lot about what is happening in Great Britain, because I consider it our loyal representative and the United Kingdom’s help to us, their role in ensuring the security and stability of our region is very important,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda told reporters in Brussels on Thursday.
Head of the Eastern European Studies Center Linas Kojala 15 minutes said he was confident that the UK’s strategic direction would not change, but the chaos could have an impact.
“I think that the strategic directions of the United Kingdom will not change – there is indeed a very broad consensus both within the Conservative Party and even among the Labor Party regarding support for Ukraine and the United Kingdom’s role in NATO,” the political scientist thought.
However, according to him, in such a “politically chaotic time”, both Ukraine and the Baltic countries may fall a little lower in the list of priorities.
According to him, uncertainty in the political arena of the United Kingdom is not favorable for either Lithuania or Ukraine, as some decisions may be made more slowly.
“When political leaders are unclear or absent, or their positions are weakened, then the potential for quick decisions is lower,” said the political scientist.
There is an indirect effect
Political scientist Ramūnas Vilpišauskas of Vilnius University’s Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences (VU TSPMI) basically agrees with this.
“I don’t see a direct impact, only an indirect one to the extent that the political change and the resulting uncertainty may be related to the slower adoption of decisions by the United Kingdom Government on issues important to Lithuania”, – 15 minutes said the political scientist.
“I think that’s the only possible effect, but it’s likely that everyone was trying to pick and choose as soon as possible to replace the new Government as soon as possible,” he added.
According to him, the most important issue for Lithuania is related to the United Kingdom’s support for Ukraine.
“On other issues, just routine cooperation took place and will take place, I think, but such political uncertainty is necessary, we see it now in the United Kingdom, it is waiting for decision-making events. For Lithuania, I think the most relevant thing is the United Kingdom’s support for Ukraine”, the political expert thought.
According to him, the resignation of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom will not have a direct impact on Ukraine itself.
“Even after Boris Johnson’s resignation, when not only Liz Truss, but also other candidates applied for the position of the leaders of the Conservative Party, the attitude of all of them towards the war in Ukraine, the sanctions against Russia, was similar,” said R. Vilpišauskas.
According to the political scientist, at that time there was even a noticeable competition between the conservatives, who assessed Russia’s war in Ukraine more harshly and offered to support Ukraine more actively.
“But anyway, there were no significant differences between the candidates in this regard and it seems to me that there won’t be any now either, because in the United Kingdom I don’t notice any fatigue or any kind of difference of opinion between the main parties or conservatives,” the VU TSPMI political scientist testified internally.
The shortest-serving prime minister
L.Truss hosted Downing Street for just 45 days, the shortest of all UK prime ministers.
The Conservative announced on Thursday that she had taken office at a time of “significant economic and international instability”.
Truss said she could not deliver on the mandate for which she elected Tory MPs and was resigning. She has been widely criticized for a highly controversial tax cut plan that has sent markets into chaos.
It has been agreed that Truss will remain as Prime Minister until her successor is chosen.
As possible successors of L.Truss, there were at least former Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt and Penny Mordaunt, who fought with L.Truss for the post of Prime Minister this summer.