News

On 20-21 November in Brussels, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Vidmantas Verbickas attended the 4th EU and Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, which brought together senior officials from 65 countries.

“The main economic security risks for both the EU and the Indo-Pacific are supply chain disruptions, vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure and the impact of economic coercion. Shared risks call for joint action and initiatives. Lithuania is ready to actively engage, building a more resilient global economy", said the Vice-Minister, when discussing public well-being, economic security, and digital connectivity.

At an additional high-level event dedicated to the protection of critical maritime infrastructure, Verbickas reported on hybrid actions in the Baltic Sea, which closely resemble those experienced by our partners in Southeast Asia. He highlighted their links with the activities of the Russian shadow fleet and called for joint, coordinated action to protect critical underwater infrastructure.

At the EU and Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, Verbickas met with the Deputy Prime Ministers of Cambodia and Samoa, the Foreign Ministers of Laos and Solomon Islands, and the Vice Ministers of India, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Timor-Leste, and Tuvalu. The bilateral meetings explored the possibilities of closer cooperation and the geopolitical situation, Lithuania's readiness to share experience in the fields of economic and digital security, energy, and to develop scientific cooperation, and the ambitions to hold bilateral political consultations and high-level visits.