On 26 February, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius met with the new U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania Deborah Ann McCarthy and discussed with her bilateral and multilateral cooperation, Lithuania’s aim to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), partnership on energy security, and perspective to further promote relations between Lithuania and the United States of America.

The Lithuanian Minister congratulated the new U.S. Ambassador on the beginning of her mission in Lithuania and emphasized the strong, long-term partnership between the two countries. Linkevičius also expressed hope that the countries would continue to work together and further strengthen their mutually beneficial relations.

The head of the Lithuanian diplomacy thanked the U.S. for support in setting up the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Vilnius and invited the country to participate in the centre’s activities. “This was made possible thanks to the strong U.S. support. The centre can be further helped by deeper U.S. engagement,” the Minister said.

At the meeting, the Minister informed the Ambassador about preparations for the Eastern Partnership Summit, which is due in Vilnius this November.