“Europe faces new security challenges today. Military power used against neighbouring countries, grave violations of international law, terrorism or coordinated propaganda campaign aimed at undermining European unity – those and other challenges call for even closer European and transatlantic partnerships. I am pleased to see that Lithuania and the United Kingdom are like-minded with respect to those challenges. We reiterated our commitment to continue working closely together for strengthening the security of Europe,” Linas Linkevičius said after the meeting in London.
The meeting heard a discussion about the on-going aggression against Ukraine, the significance of a united and principled policy towards Russia, the Eastern Partnership, and the military conflicts in Syria and the Middle East.
The ministers also talked about cooperation between the two countries in the area of law enforcement.
Minister Linkevičius gave Boris Johnson, whose great-grandfather had come from Lithuania, a book by Kristina Sabaliauskaitė about Vilnius “Vilnius. Wilno. Vilna. Three Short Stories”. Mr Johnson shared warm memories of his visit to Vilnius in the past and expressed a wish to pay another visit to Lithuania.
On his visit to London, Minister Linkevičius also took part in the debate held by the Centre for European Reform to consider the situation in Europe in the context of global developments. The event was a forum for international policy experts and journalists to discuss a possible policy of the new US administration, an impact that Brexit will have on the future of Europe, and Russia’s aggressive foreign policy.
Minister Linkevičius will have meetings with Crispin Blunt, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, Parliament of the United Kingdom, with Emily Thornberry, Shadow Foreign Secretary, and Khalid Mahmood, Shadow Minister for Europe; will give an interview for the BBC programme HARDtalk, and will meet with members of the Lithuanian community in the UK.
