According to the President, the situation in Ukraine poses a threat to the security of the whole world. Therefore, transatlantic cooperation is especially important and needed today. Lithuania appreciates U.S. leading efforts to strengthen the security of the Baltic region. When Russia's military aggression began in Ukraine, the United States was the first to reinforce the Baltic air policing mission and to send its troops for joint military exercises.
Among the other points of discussion at the meeting were decisions adopted during the NATO summit in Wales at the beginning of September and their translation into practice. The summit agreed on additional security measures in the Baltic region: regular renewal of defense plans, creation of the NATO rapid reaction force and bolstering its readiness to respond to emerging challenges, as well as setting up the Alliance's command and control units in the Baltic countries.
President Grybauskaitė and Hillary Clinton also exchanged views on deepening Lithuania-U.S. cooperation. According to the President, the United States of America is our reliable partner which has always supported Lithuania's aspiration to build an independent and democratic state and establish itself in the international community. The strengthening ties between the two countries are evolving into concrete projects and initiatives in different spheres.
The President thanked Hillary Clinton for her personal contribution to promoting Lithuania-U.S. relationship. As a U.S. secretary of state, she had consistently voiced her strong support to Lithuania's energy security aspirations and actively backed Lithuania's objective to ensure the security in the Baltic region and the extension of the NATO air policing mission in the Baltics for indefinite term.
Hillary Clinton became the 67th U.S. secretary of state in 2009, serving until 2013. She is one of the most prominent leaders of the Democratic Party, USA.
