Only Ukraine’s success can influence positive development of Russia – Lithuania’s ex-Prime Minister

Putin is very much afraid of Ukraine becoming a successful country, so he keeps Ukraine busy with the low-level war in Donbas, Andrius Kubilius, Member of Parliament of Lithuania and former Lithuanian Prime Minister, told at the 10th Kyiv Security Forum which is taking place in Kyiv over 6-7 April 2017.

"My advice: don’t allow Putin to dominate your agenda. Go forward with reforms," he suggested. Mr. Kubilius noted that Europe doesn’t have a strategy to survive with Russia on the same continent and that Europe should assist Russia to become a normal country. However, nothing else worked before.

"Only the success of Ukraine can influence the positive development of Russia in the long-term," he said.

He noted that Ukraine has made great success in fighting corruption, much has to be done, but it is a constant process, and noted that there is corruption still left in Lithuania.

"You must fight corruption, but you must not allow in European capitals to say that they are so corrupt we should not help Ukraine," he suggested, and added that Ukraine shouldn't only look at corruption from the view of law enforcement.

1. Liberalizing conditions for businesses;
2. Helping the new middle class in Ukraine to establish, and assisting reformers with decent salaries;
3. and being more brave with land reform

are the things he suggested would assist Ukraine with eradicating corruption from the culture.