Lithuania PM says strengthening ties with Washington is priority

VILNIUS - Strengthening ties with Washington is a priority for Lithuania's government, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said on Wednesday after meeting US Ambassador to Lithuania Kara McDonald.

"For the 21st Government, strengthening ties with the United States is one of the priority tasks on the security and foreign policy agenda," the prime minister said.

During the meeting, Sinkevicius expressed appreciation for the strategic partnership, bilateral relations, and the contribution of US troops to regional security and deterrence. He added that Lithuania, as a host nation, would continue to invest consistently in improving conditions for troops and was prepared to host more of them.

More than 1,000 US troops completed their rotation in Lithuania this summer. They left the country as Washington reviews its military deployments in Europe. It remains unclear when and to what extent they will be deployed in the future. Lithuania has said it is ready to host up to 1,500 US troops.

Sinkevicius also said a strong transatlantic partnership must be based on shared responsibility for collective security. Lithuania, which allocates 5.38 percent of its gross domestic product to national defence, has consistently called for greater defence commitments from European allies.

The prime minister said Lithuania was open to closer partnerships with the US in the defence industry, energy, and high-value-added sectors.