President Grybauskaitė said that the ongoing developments in Ukraine posed a threat to the security and stability of the whole of Europe. It was therefore necessary to continue seeking ways to stop the escalation of the conflict as quickly as possible. The Presidents of the three Baltic countries and the United States underlined that the international community would never recognize the annexation of Crimea.
The four heads of state also stressed that if the situation in Crimea continued to deteriorate, a range of sanctions would be imposed on Russia.
President Grybauskaitė said that Russia's actions in Ukraine were in violation of international law and the existing international agreements. Russia must withdraw its troops to the bases established by international accords, stop escalating the conflict and spreading disinformation.
President Grybauskaitė further said that to open a political dialogue and to attain a peaceful crisis resolution, international observers must get access to Crimea. Until this moment, no international mission has been allowed there.
Among the other issues discussed was the United States' direct contribution to increasing the security of the Baltic region. On March 6, the U.S. sent six additional F-15 fighter jets to step up NATO's air policing over the Baltic States. It was agreed that the security of the Baltic countries would be enhanced further if necessary.
President Barack Obama reaffirmed the strong commitment of the United States to defend the Baltic States under Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
