News

On 22 August, in the evening, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis talked on the phone with Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Robert Menendez. Cooperation between Lithuania and the US was discussed and support to Lithuania on Taiwan and migration crisis was expressed.

Minister Landsbergis thanked the USA for its support to Lithuania concerning Taiwan that had been expressed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a telephone conversation on 21 August. Gabrielius Landsbergis underlined that Lithuania was currently facing a number of challenges – the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, a wave of irregular migrants from Belarus, and pressure from China.

Robert Menendez noted that Lithuania was the “gold standard” for democracy and at the moment, when there was threat to common values, the USA would use every effort to support Lithuania. Senator Menendez underscored that the challenges faced by Lithuania were a test to all democratic countries.

Mr Minister asked the USA to continue its political support to the Lithuanian Government, to provide practical assistance to Lithuanian business, and assess a possibility of supply chain diversification taking into account the unprecedented pressure experienced by Lithuanian companies operating in China. Lithuania is also interested in having international support vis-à-vis threats from China; that is why Lithuania together with the USA will look for support by cooperating with other European Union member states and international organisations.

Minister Landsbergis also expressed his gratitude for US politicians’ public support for Belarusian opposition representatives. “There is a threat now to common values and architecture of democracies; therefore together with the USA we call for a concerted international response and joint position on actions taken by aggressive authoritarian regimes,” said Gabrielius Landsbergis.