VILNIUS – Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis expects "significant progress" in strengthening NATO's eastern flank before next year's summit in Vilnius.
On Wednesday, Landsbergis discussed the regional security situation with Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Bucharest, the Foreign Ministry said.
"The NATO ministerial meeting in Bucharest confirmed that our partners share our view of the security situation in Europe and threats. We expects significant progress in strengthening our forward defense and the security of the whole eastern flank before the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius," Landsbergis was quoted as saying in the ministry's statement released after his meeting with the US general.
On Tuesday, Lithuania's top diplomat attended an expanded G7 meeting to coordinate support to Ukraine's energy sector, and spoke on behalf of the three Baltic states.
"Russia is blackmailing the world, disrupting food and energy supplies, and carrying out immoral attacks against Ukraine's civilian infrastructure. We need to help Ukraine not only to rebuild its electricity networks, but also to defend it, and we need to help Ukraine to get to the root of the problem – to win on the battlefield," Landsbergis said.
In response to Russia's attack on Ukraine, in late June, NATO leaders confirmed in Madrid their intention to up their forces deployed in the Alliance's eastern flank, including Lithuania, for the past several years to brigade-size units.
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