Latvia and Lithuania must work together on continued international support to Ukraine - Karins

RIGA - Latvia and Lithuania must work together on continued international support to Ukraine, Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) said during a working visit to Lithuania where he met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. 

The officials discussed bilateral relations, as well as regional cooperation and topics on the international agenda. In a conversation with Simonyte and Landsbergis, the Latvian foreign minister underlined the need in the current complicated geopolitical situation to jointly work as part of continued international effort in support of Ukraine, who keeps on fighting against Russia’s military aggression.

At his meeting with the Lithuanian prime minister and foreign minister, Karins reaffirmed that Latvia and Lithuania share common interests and that close cooperation and coordination between them as neighboring countries is currently of particular importance. 

The development of further cooperation was discussed both in economy and regional infrastructure projects, with Rail Baltica being a priority. Latvia is prepared to expand cooperation with Lithuania in the fields of energy, transport, information and communication technologies, research and innovation.

In view of the damage caused to the Balticconector gas pipeline and the telecommunications cable, the ministers discussed safety of critical infrastructure and agreed that the matter should be on the agenda of the European Union (EU) and NATO. The results of the NATO summit in Vilnius and current NATO issues were then reviewed. The Latvian minister also welcomed the successful cooperation between Latvia and Lithuania in international organizations.

The security situation at the EU’s external border with Belarus was discussed with both the Lithuanian prime minister and foreign minister, in view of a significant influx of illegal migrants to the Latvian-Belarusian border. Karins thanked Lithuania for assistance it had been providing to Latvia in order to ensure order at the border, and he also emphasized the importance of a regionally coordinated approach.

The officials also discussed current developments in Russia’s war against Ukraine, provision of support to Ukraine, and its integration into the EU.