The President thanked the Senator of Lithuanian origin for his personal contribution to strengthening the security of the Baltic states, and congratulated him on having received the highest award of the Seimas, the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star award.
The President and the Senator discussed the NATO Summit in Madrid, the security situation in the Baltic region, and the growing tensions caused by Russia over the implementation of European Union sanctions. According to Gitanas Nausėda, the Alliance needs to take decisions that will significantly strengthen the defense of the Baltic countries, such as increasing troop presence as well as reinforcing air and sea defense.
“At the Madrid Summit, we need to clearly demonstrate the Alliance’s readiness to defend every inch of its territory. NATO must shift from a deterrence to a forward defense strategy. This is a matter of critical importance for Lithuania,” President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized.
The President pointed out that Lithuania highly values the long-standing strategic partnership with the USA and always advocates the strongest possible transatlantic ties and their indispensability. According to Gitanas Nausėda, a reinforced NATO posture in the Baltic region, together with the permanent presence of US troops in Lithuania, is the most powerful instrument of deterrence.
