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On 29 April, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis attended a meeting of Foreign Ministers of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland in Riga, Latvia. The meeting focused on cooperation between the Baltic states and Poland to strengthen regional security and related items on NATO's agenda, including preparations for the next NATO summit in Madrid, Spain, on 29 and 30 June.

During the meeting, the Foreign Ministers discussed the joint goal of the Baltic states and Poland to have decisions on the adaptation of defence and a substantial reinforcement of defence on NATO’s eastern flank approved at the next NATO summit. “We must strive for NATO’s new strategic concept to reflect the changed security situation in Europe, to name Russia as a long-term threat, and to give priority to NATO’s task of collective defence,” Landsbergis said. “The existing concept of deterrence is no longer sufficient. Assurances that every inch of our territory will be defended must be at the heart of NATO’s defence strategy.”

The Foreign Ministers spoke out in favor of providing military support to Ukraine immediately, as Russia’s aggression continued for the third month already. It was agreed that the EU must include oil in the new package of sanctions on Russia, while frozen Russian assets could be used as reconstruction money for Ukraine. According to Landsbergis, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland strongly support Ukraine’s European aspirations and call on the EU to adopt its open door policy to this country.

Photos: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia