According to the President, terror attacks in Europe show that we must be prepared for all, even worst-case scenarios in the fight against international terrorism. No country is protected against the threat of nuclear terrorism; therefore, world leaders in Washington will discuss how to strengthen the protection of nuclear power plants and other nuclear facilities, and prevent smuggling so that dangerous radioactive material does not fall into the hands of criminals.
In Washington, the President will share Lithuania's experience in strengthening nuclear security in the region. Our country hosts the Nuclear Security Center of Excellence where competent Lithuanian and foreign staff are taught how to prevent the possible use of radioactive material for terror attacks. The center is considered to be a hub for nuclear security training in Eastern Europe, and its activities are presented in the United States as a success story.
At the Nuclear Security Summit, the President will also direct the world leaders' attention to the unsafe Astravyets nuclear power plant, which is being built close to Lithuania's borders. The construction of this power plant is carried out in violation of international conventions and without observing any global nuclear safety standards – which poses a threat not only to Lithuania but also to all the countries in the Baltic Sea region. Dalia Grybauskaitė points out that international focus on the Astravyets nuclear power plant is necessary in order to ensure that Belarus clarifies the existing doubts about the security of this project.
Washington is hosting the fourth Nuclear Security Summit which will bring together delegations from 52 countries, including European Council President Donald Tusk, British Prime Minister David Cameron, Polish President Andrzej Duda, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, other heads of state and government, as well as representatives from the United Nations, the International Atomic Energy Agency and Interpol.
The President attended previous Nuclear Security Summits held in Seoul in 2012 and The Hague in 2014.
During her working visit to Washington, Dalia Grybauskaitė will meet with the Lithuanian American community at a Sunday-after-Easter festival.
