The President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda welcomed chief foreign policy and national security advisers to the Presidents of the Baltic countries, Poland and Ukraine at their meeting in Vilnius on 1 June 2021. The regular meeting of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland was attended by special guests – from Ukraine.
The President underscored the importance of addressing regional security issues through regular consultations and coordination with Lithuania’s like-minded partners.
“The Baltic States and Poland share the same assessment of the security environment created by Russia’s aggressive and disruptive behavior and rhetoric. We must work together to find solutions for strengthening our security and defense. We must do it in close collaboration with other NATO allies who contribute to ensuring the security across our region, effective deterrence and defense,” the President said.
The meeting was attended by representatives from Ukraine to discuss the security situation in Crimea and eastern Ukraine where Russia had deployed military forces and equipment on unprecedented scale along the borders. The participants of the meeting underlined that stability and security in NATO’s eastern neighborhood is an important security factor for all. We must help Ukraine – NATO’s enhanced opportunities partner – to implement its Euro-Atlantic aspirations and goals through comprehensive political and practical assistance, including training and exercise opportunities provided by the Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian Brigade.
The chief advisers discussed a wide range of foreign policy and security issues, including the importance of transatlantic cooperation and the role of the United States for the security of the region, as well as preparations for the NATO summit to be held in Brussels on June 14. The implications of Russia’s actions for security in the region, responses to the actions by the Belarusian regime, and other relevant foreign and security policy issues were also discussed.
