The Presidents of all countries in the region, which experience direct threat by “Zapad”, i.e. Latvia, Estonia, Poland and Ukraine, will attend the UN General Assembly.
According to the President, it is paramount to warn the international community in a loud and clear voice about the dangers posed to the region: we will be protected if we are heard.
First, Dalia Grybauskaitė and António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations will have a bilateral meeting to discuss Russia’s actions and their possible consequences as well as the importance of international organizations’ reaction. According to the President, it is necessary for the international community to react towards Russia’s aggressive stance. The United Nations cannot remain passive observers when the world is shaken by terror attacks and nuclear armament while a permanent member of the UN Security Council violates international law rather than defending it. At the bilateral meeting, reforms of the United Nations and the necessity of a more rapid response of the United Nations towards violations of international law as well as conflict prevention will be discussed. The President will also join the declaration initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at reforming the United Nations.
Later, with the invitation of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the President will attend working lunch together with the leaders of the U.S., France, Switzerland, Japan, Jordan and other states to discuss geopolitical situation and challenges to the security of humanity. Although now the focus of the world is on North Korea and Syria, according to the President, maneuvers in Ukraine and near our borders are equally dangerous.
President Dalia Grybauskaitė and President Andrzej Duda of Poland will have a bilateral meeting in New York to discuss ways to ensure safety and security of Lithuanian and Polish people, united response to geopolitical and hybrid threats as well as energy security and possibilities to deepen bilateral relations.
Aggressive scenarios of the Kremlin against the West will be in the focus of the main speech by the President from the rostrum of the United Nations General Assembly. In her speech, the President will draw the attention of world leaders to military as well as energy blackmail, cyber-attacks and destabilizing threat of propaganda. The President will speak on September 19, at 8-9 p.m. Lithuanian time. View direct broadcast at: http://webtv.un.org.
During her visit to New York, the President will present state awards to two officials of the Pentagon for their merits in enhancing Lithuania’s security and defense. The Cross of Officer of the Order for Merits to Lithuania will be presented to the former official of the U.S. Department of Defense James Joye Townsend who actively contributed to ensuring Lithuania’s energy independence. The Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania will be presented to the official of the U.S. Department of Defense, former U.S. Defense and Army Attaché to Lithuania David Bradley Mllner for enhancing bilateral cooperation in defense.
