According to the President, Lithuania highly values Germany’s decision to take the lead of a multinational battalion deployed to our country. In the face of geopolitical threats, NATO’s deterrence is vitally important for Lithuania and for the entire Alliance.
The President said that appropriate defense spending was also critical to national security. Lithuania’s consistent investments in defense demonstrated its strong will and determination to guard and protect the state and people. It is expected that next year defense spending will exceed 2 percent of GDP.
The President pointed out that the Atsravyets nuclear power plant currently built in Belarus was a Russian geopolitical project that posed a threat to all Europeans. In order to prevent the construction of unsafe nuclear facilities in the EU’s neighborhood, all European countries must adopt a firm and unified stance.
The meeting also focused on ways to strengthen Europe’s response to information and cyber threats. Many European countries were confronted by growing propaganda. German troops stationed in Lithuania also came under direct information attack. The President underlined that Lithuania and Germany were working together to enhance information security. Further united efforts by the European Union were also needed to increase public awareness and resistance to lies and propaganda.
The President and the German Foreign Minister exchanged views about the situation in Ukraine. Germany is member of the Normandy Four group. Dalia Grybauskaitė stressed that the European Union had to ratify the association and free trade agreement as soon as possible and to deliver its promise to introduce visa free travels for the people of Ukraine. Sanctions against Russia must continue until the Minsk agreements are fully implemented.
