The Lithuanian and Polish leaders discussed the course of Russia’s war in Ukraine and agreed on the need to further consolidate allies in order to provide rapid and effective assistance to Ukraine. The President stressed the importance of cooperation between Lithuania and Poland to ensure continued and tougher EU sanctions against Russia. According to Gitanas Nausėda, it is necessary to further strengthen sanctions against the aggressor by including the Russian energy company Rosatom in the forthcoming 11th package of EU sanctions against Russia, along with other banks, companies and individuals who are directly and indirectly involved in the perpetration of war crimes in Ukraine.
Gitanas Nausėda and Mateusz Morawiecki also discussed preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius and the results to be achieved. According to the President, new NATO defense plans are of particular importance to both Lithuania and Poland and it is therefore necessary to seek agreement on them before the Vilnius Summit.
“Strengthening forward defense and effective deterrence are essential elements of the security of NATO’s eastern flank. We need to work together to secure a commitment from all NATO allies to increase defense spending. Only when we ourselves are secure and well equipped will we be able to deter an aggressor and help Ukraine to achieve victory on the battlefield,” President Gitanas Nausėda spoke.
The Lithuanian leader stressed that decisions on the future cooperation between Ukraine and NATO needed to be taken at the NATO Summit in Vilnius, and it was necessary to find a formula that would provide for gradually bringing Ukraine closer to the Alliance, with the prospect of membership after the war.
The President of Lithuania and the Prime Minister of Poland also discussed joint infrastructure projects. Gitanas Nausėda underlined that accelerating synchronization with the continental European network was a priority for Lithuania with the aim of disconnecting from the BRELL grid at the beginning of next year.
