The President underlined that Lithuania and Portugal enjoy long standing defense and security cooperation. Gitanas Nausėda thanked António Costa for Portugal’s commitment to collective security and for continued participation in NATO’s air policing mission and security enhancing presence in Lithuania. According to the President, solidarity, shared assessment of security threats, determination to strengthen the transatlantic link, and readiness to defend every inch of NATO are the fundamental principles underpinning allied actions.
The President and the Prime Minister discussed preparations for the upcoming NATO Summit. Gitanas Nausėda pointed out that the Vilnius Summit will be a historic opportunity to take decisions crucial for the security of the Alliance. According to the President, it is important to agree on increasing defense spending, reinforcing air and anti-aircraft defense, and sending a strong message on NATO-Ukraine cooperation and Ukraine’s place in the transatlantic security architecture.
The President noted that it is necessary to expand cooperation with the Global South to counter Russian propaganda and disinformation.
The EU’s agenda was also discussed, including the issues of illegal migration, economic governance, internal market, and the bloc’s global competitiveness.
