The Lithuanian leader called on the Baltic countries to closely coordinate their positions, goals and ambitions, starting with the preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius in July 2023.
“The unity of the Baltic states enabled us to reach important decisions at the NATO Summit in Madrid. In Vilnius, we need to take a step forward to ensure their further implementation, especially in forward defense and regional planning. We also hope to agree on a commitment by NATO member states to increase defense investment, because today’s spending is too low for our objectives. Our other priorities for the NATO Summit in Vilnius include the consolidation of political and practical support for Ukraine, including its Euro-Atlantic integration goals, as well as Finland and Sweden’s admission to NATO, which will significantly strengthen the security of the Baltic Sea region,” the President added.
During the meeting, the Baltic leaders stressed that the countries would continue to provide all possible military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as well as equipment urgently needed for the recovery of electricity and other critical infrastructure.
Speaking on key infrastructure projects in the Baltic states, Gitanas Nausėda stressed that both faster synchronization of electricity grids with continental Europe and the implementation of the Rail Baltica project were investments in the security of the region.
“We have to take all possible means to accelerate the disconnection of the Baltic electricity systems from the BRELL network. We must cut the last energy links with Russia, thus removing the possibility of blackmailing the Baltic countries,” the President emphasized.
Gitanas Nausėda stressed that Lithuania was determined to complete synchronization by February 2024.
During the Baltic Presidents’ meeting, Gitanas Nausėda also underlined the increased strategic importance of the Rail Baltica project for the security of the Baltic states in the context of the Russia’s war in Ukraine, as the developed railway infrastructure was also necessary for military mobility. The President called for accelerating the implementation of the project and starting large-scale construction works as early as 2024.
