Today the President and the NATO Secretary General will officially inaugurate the new NATO headquarters which will strengthen the security of the whole of the region. It will coordinate the exercises of national and allied forces as well as organize collective defense.
"NATO adequately assesses threats to our region and pays special attention to the security of Lithuania and other Baltic States. Within one year after the Wales Summit, we have succeeded in implementing measures enabling us to respond to newly emerging challenges appropriately and swiftly," the President said.
According to the President, in the run-up to the Warsaw Summit, it is necessary to assess which goals have already been achieved and which are lying ahead. The President underlined that certain areas needed faster progress – it was important to improve NATO rapid reaction force and reduce the time of reaction, develop infrastructure to host forces and strengthen mutual cooperation. The new NATO headquarters in Vilnius will also help to achieve this.
NATO expansion and relations with partner countries were also discussed at the meeting. The President underlined that NATO had to send strong signals to them about the strengthening of cooperation. Prior to the NATO summit in Warsaw, it is essential to assess Georgia's efforts and progress towards joining NATO. Views were also exchanged on providing greater assistance to Ukraine.
In response to Russia's aggression in Ukraine and threats to the security of the region and the whole of Europe, NATO has swiftly taken the necessary measures to ensure security in the Baltics – NATO's air policing mission has been reinforced, rotating allied land forces are exercising in our country and NATO headquarters has been set up in Vilnius. Lithuania is also focused on its commitment to strengthen national defense. The national agreement has been reached to increase the defense spending, conscription has been reintroduced and rapid reaction force has been established.
