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On 4 September, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Simonas Šatūnas, met with the United States Deputy Secretary of State Richard R. Verma, who was recently named as the U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine’s Economic Recovery.

“Lithuania’s partnership with the U.S. is strong, sustainable and steadily growing. The U.S. investment in Lithuania, Lithuania’s investment in security through the acquisition of U.S.-made weaponry, strengthens our relationship and mobilises us to work together to protect the international order based on international law and ensure security in Europe. Only with the U.S. support we can win the war and stop Putin. Thus, a strong transatlantic bond today is more important than ever,” Šatūnas said at the meeting.

The meeting focused on major security challenges, cooperation in the field of defence and deterrence, the application of sanctions against Russia and Belarus, and ensuring the aggressors’ accountability.

During the meeting, the Foreign Vice-Minister also presented Lithuanian Development Cooperation Fund projects and international partnerships with Ireland, Taiwan and other countries.

“In recent years, Lithuania, together with international partners, has implemented a number of projects for the reconstruction of Ukraine: we have installed shelters in schools, rebuilt a destroyed kindergarten, and implement projects for the rehabilitation of soldiers and the development of educational institutions. We strongly believe in Ukraine’s victory and in the joint effort of governments and businesses that will allow us to assist Ukraine even more. Lithuania is ready for new partnerships in Ukraine, especially in building shelters and restoring the energy system. Pooling  Lithuania’s and U.S. efforts together, we could accelerate the reconstruction of the war-torn country,” the Foreign Vice-Minister noted.

During the meeting with Verma, the Foreign Vice-Minister also discussed hybrid and kinetic operations conducted by hostile forces in Europe. Šatūnas thanked the U.S. for maintaining an uninterrupted rotational U.S. presence in Lithuania and expressed his expectation that these forces would become permanent.

Ukraine’s reconstruction projects are financed under the Lithuanian Fund for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, including a rebuilt kindergarten with a shelter in Irpin, a renovated lyceum in Borodyanka, and an installed new underground shelter. Furthermore, the winner of a tender for an adaptive technical design of the “Future School for Ukraine” project is being determined, construction works of five new shelters in the frontline regions are underway, and other reconstruction initiatives are being financed.