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On 2 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius congratulated the new U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on assuming office. In his congratulation letter, Linkevičius emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership between Lithuania and the United States, the transatlantic link, close political and economic relations, as well as cooperation in the field of energy security.

Linkevičius noted that Lithuania was firmly committed to continue to increase its defence spending and consistently complied with its obligations. The head of Lithuania’s diplomacy also underlined the U.S. contribution to ensuring security in the region and in the Baltic states, and the significance of cooperation within the North Atlantic Alliance.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister expressed Lithuania’s determination to continue close cooperation in dealing with regional and global threats, underlined the importance of mutually beneficial bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and the need to further strengthen the U.S. leadership in Europe.

Linkevičius also invited Tillerson to visit Lithuania in the near future.

On 1 February 2017, the U.S. Senate confirmed the former head of Exxon Mobil Tillerson as the new Secretary of State. Tillerson was sworn in on the same day and became the 69th Secretary of State of the United States of America.