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On 15 June, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius met with Stef Blok, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The meeting discussed the bilateral relationship between Lithuania and the Netherlands, cooperation in the fields of security and defence, and the EU agenda.

"The visit of the King of the Netherlands to Lithuania reflects our excellent bilateral relationship and expanding cooperation in the fields of security, defence, etc. The Netherlands has become a significant contributor to security of the Baltic region and is one of our main allies within the field of defence," said Linkevičius.

The Netherlands has participated since NATO has enhanced its forward presence in Lithuania. Dutch soldiers joined NATO‘s enhanced Forward Presence battalion in  our country in 2017. They have taken part in the Baltic Air Policing mission three times.  The Netherlands has also posted one officer to the NATO Force Integration Unit. Both countries are actively contributing to the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), initiating projects in the fields of cyber security and military mobility.

The Ministers also discussed preparations for the next NATO Summit on 11 and 12 July 2 in Brussels, which would be an important part of the process of the Alliance's defence and deterrence capacity building. The Ministers agreed that Europe and the United States were natural allies and that it was still necessary to work closely together on many critical issues.

In the meeting, the Ministers discussed efforts to counter the Kremlin's disinformation in the EU member states, the issue of strengthening the EU's resilience against external and internal threats. They also discussed the EU's multiannual financial framework and Lithuania's goal of dedicating appropriate attention to and financing of traditional policies, such as cohesion and agriculture within the framework, as well as new priorities for security, migration and border management.

Minister Blok is visiting Lithuania as part of the delegation led by the King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. During the state visit on 13-15 June, the King is holding meetings with the highest leaders of Lithuania. He will also visit the NATO enhanced Forward Presence battalion in Rukla. In addition, the Lithuanian-Dutch Energy Forum will be held. The King will also attend the unveiling of the monument to the Dutch diplomat J. Zwartendijk, who rescued Jews in Kaunas.