“One of the most urgent priorities is Sweden’s membership of NATO, which will undoubtedly help to increase security in the Baltic Sea region and further strengthen the Alliance. Thus, we look forward to swiftly completing the ratification procedures,” Landsbergis said.
Lithuania’s Foreign Minister also stressed that the NATO summit in Vilnius brought Ukraine closer to NATO. “We have to seize this opportunity and move forward at maximum speed sometime before the NATO summit in Washington D.C. next summer. It is also vital for Ukraine’s victory to ensure an uninterrupted supply of weapons, especially ammunition. As far as the EU is concerned, the biggest long-term security we can provide for Ukraine and ourselves is the enlargement of the EU. We hope that accession talks with Ukraine will begin at the end of this year,” the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy said.
Landsbergis also underlined that global and regional geopolitical challenges – Russia’s war against Ukraine, hybrid threats, and strengthening regional security – brought the Baltic and Nordic countries closer. Therefore, we will continue to work hand in hand to enhance further the prospects for regional cooperation during Sweden’s coordination of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) cooperation framework next year.
The Foreign Minister welcomed the excellent bilateral relations. Sweden is a close neighbour and partner of Lithuania. In addition , we cooperate closely at the political level in economic, energy security and other areas. Sweden is Lithuania’s strategic trading partner and one of the largest investors in the country. Landsbergis called for further efforts to deepen bilateral economic cooperation, especially in innovative and high-tech sectors.
The Swedish Ambassador presented his letters of credence to the President of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda on 28 August. Wahlund is Sweden’s tenth Ambassador to Lithuania after the restoration of independence.
