The President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, and the First Lady, Diana Nausėdienė, on Wednesday met at the Presidential Palace with King Frederik X of Denmark and Queen Mary, who are paying a state visit to Lithuania.
During the meeting, the leaders discussed Lithuanian–Danish cooperation in the fields of defence and security policy within the frameworks of NATO and the European Union, bilateral relations, the security situation, and support for Ukraine.
The President thanked Denmark, which—second only to Iceland—recognized Lithuania’s independence on 28 February 1991.
“Denmark made a significant contribution to Lithuania’s accession to the EU and NATO, as well as to the inflow of substantial investments into Lithuania. The Danish Armed Forces provided comprehensive support in building up the Lithuanian Armed Forces and were Lithuania’s first partner in international operations. The Royal Danish Air Force actively participates in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, and Danish contingents have been deployed to the Šiauliai Air Base on multiple occasions,” said the Lithuanian leader.
According to the President, a strong partnership between the Nordic and Baltic countries is the foundation of regional security, and Lithuania and Denmark are like-minded countries that assess today’s geopolitical challenges in a similar way, working closely together to counter the threats posed by Russia and to support Ukraine.
The President emphasized that Arctic security is a transatlantic security issue. “Lithuania is ready to contribute to the efforts of Denmark and other NATO Allies to strengthen security in the Arctic region. We stand in solidarity with Denmark on the issue of Greenland. Territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law that cannot be questioned. The future of Greenland and of Denmark belongs solely to their people,” the President stated.
The head of state stressed that joint efforts are necessary across all areas to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank defence and responses to threats. “We must make more effective use of Nordic cooperation and strengthen NATO’s defence and deterrence in order to enhance security in the Baltic Sea region, including the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, particularly in light of recurring incidents of damage to subsea cables caused by the so-called ‘shadow fleet’. It is important to ensure the continuity of NATO missions Eastern Sentry and Baltic Sentry,” the President said.
The President also noted with satisfaction that both Lithuania and Denmark are among the strongest supporters of Ukraine. “We must make every effort to strengthen Ukraine’s negotiating position and to expose Russia’s unwillingness to contribute to efforts to secure peace. We must exert pressure on Russia to provide a clear response and commit to a ceasefire. And, of course, we must ensure that the progress of the peace process or war fatigue does not reduce military support. Ukraine’s Armed Forces will be the main deterrent in peacetime, which is why long-term funding for them must be ensured,” President Gitanas Nausėda stated.
Source: lrp.lt
(Translated using an artificial intelligence tool)
