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At the Political Directors’ meeting that was held as part of the Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe (e-PINE) on 21-22 June in Riga, the Political Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Rolandas Kačinskas stressed that it was important for the European Union and NATO to support Eastern Partnership countries, namely Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

According to Kačinskas, aid coming from the Western countries is necessary in order to ensure stability in the Eastern partnership countries. He also expressed solidarity with these European countries that were facing threats from the South. Lithuania is ready to continue to contribute towards addressing challenges such as illegal migration and terrorism.

One of the sessions of the meeting was dedicated to the EU’s sanctions against Russia.

“Although equally relevant, threats from the South and the East are different. Unlike terrorism and migration, Russia poses a challenge to the entire international system. This should be taken into consideration when making decisions on relations with Russia,” stressed Kačinskas.

The meeting also discussed security challenges in the Baltic region, items on the agenda of the upcoming NATO Summit in Warsaw, the NATO-Russia relationship, new developments in energy markets and their impact on energy security. When discussing energy issues, the Political Director voiced Lithuania’s concerns over the construction of the Astravets nuclear power plant in Belarus and the fact that the construction work did not comply with regulations and standards for international environmental and nuclear safety. Kačinskas requested representatives from the Nordic and Baltic countries, and the United States to support Lithuania urging Belarus to ensure safety and security of the project, as well as its compliance with international standards.

Latvia, which coordinates the e-PINE activities this year, has organised one of the sessions of the meeting at NATO’s Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence, where the centre’s experts and Political Directors discussed the fight against Russian propaganda.

The Enhanced Partnership in Northern Europe, or e-PINE, is a framework for the U.S. activity within and in cooperation with the eight Nordic and Baltic States (NB8). Officially launched in Washington, D.C., in 2003, the e-PINE initiative aims to consolidate regional security and stability, and to benefit neighbouring regions through sharing the experience of the Nordic and Baltic States.