News

On 27 February, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Sigitas Mitkus, received the Ambassador of the United States of America to Lithuania, Kara C. McDonald. The Foreign Vice-Minister and the U.S. Ambassador discussed the key importance of an uninterrupted U.S. force presence in Lithuania and ensuring regional defense and security, bilateral Lithuanian-U.S. cooperation in defense and security, energy, economy, and other areas.

Mitkus underlined the importance of close transatlantic cooperation, which best responds to the security interests of all the allies, and welcomed the close and further strengthening of bilateral relations between Lithuania and the United States.

“Lithuania appreciates a strong relationship with its strategic partner and fully encourages mutually beneficial U.S. engagement in Lithuania, especially in the fields of defense and security, energy and economy. We will seek to deepen and expand this cooperation, paying special attention to attracting investment and the U.S. business participation in implementing joint projects,” Mitkus said.

The meeting also discussed development cooperation and ties between the European Union and the United States.

Ambassador McDonald is the 16th U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania. Lithuania and the United States established their diplomatic relations in 1922. The U.S. never recognizsed Lithuania's Soviet occupation and annexation. Throughout the occupation, Lithuania's independent diplomatic mission continued to operate in Washington, D.C., and the Lithuanian tricolor was flown at  the U.S. State Department.