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On 17 March, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis met with Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas. The meeting focused on bilateral relations between Lithuania and Germany, the relationship with Russia and China, eastern neighbours, vaccination, security situation in the region, and other important items on the international agenda.

The Foreign Ministers agreed to take joint action to counter hybrid threats in a more effective and coordinated manner, including the challenges posed by disinformation.

“Russia's failure to implement the request of the European Court of Human Rights to release Alexei Navalny immediately undermines the Council of Europe’s main objectives to defend the rule of law, democracy, and respect for human rights," said Landsbergis.

As regards the vaccination process in the European Union, Landsbergis noted that Lithuania was eagerly awaiting the European Medicines Agency's decision to approve the AstraZeneca vaccine.

“We hope that the vaccine will continue to be administered. This vaccine has passed all the required checks. Therefore, we hope that all questions will be answered, confidence in the vaccine will be restored, and its use will continue,” said Lithuania's Foreign Minister.

When discussing the security situation, Landsbergis thanked his counterpart for Germany's growing leadership role in ensuring security of Lithuania and the region over recent years. The Foreign Minister also stressed the importance of transatlantic relations and stated that strong transatlantic relations were inseparable from ensuring security of our region.

As regards China, Landsbergis called on Germany to consider the idea of the common cooperation between the EU member states and China in the "27+ 1" format. This format would enable the EU countries to protect their interests more effectively, and to maintain a unified front that would have more leverage vis-à-vis China.

The Foreign Ministers were also glad about the close diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Germany. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
 
During his visit to Germany, Landsbergis also held a meeting with Jan Hecker, Foreign Policy and Security Advisor to the German Chancellor, gave an interview to a daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, and took part in a discussion with the Director and experts of the German Institute for Foreign and Security Policy (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik).