Lithuanian president discusses Middle East situation with Polish and Finnish presidents

VILNIUS - Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda discussed the security situation in the Middle East with Polish President Karol Nawrocki and Finnish President Alexander Stubb by phone on Sunday evening.

During the conversation with Nawrocki, special attention was paid to the safety of Lithuanian and Polish citizens in the Middle East, the Presidential Office said.

The leaders of Lithuania and Poland discussed the situation of their citizens in the region and agreed to call on the responsible institutions to take all necessary humanitarian measures to ensure the safe return of citizens to their homelands.

According to Nauseda, as regional tension increases, close coordination between Lithuanian and Polish institutions is essential to respond promptly to the changing situation and protect human lives.

In a conversation with Stubb, the Lithuanian leader strongly condemned Iran's attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and other states in the region, saying such actions grossly violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

Nauseda expressed solidarity with the states of the Gulf Cooperation Council and other countries whose territories were targeted, the Presidential Office said.

The president noted that the conflict in the region is only beginning to ignite, and said it was important to assess whether the escalation could affect the dynamics of the Iranian regime and open opportunities for democratic forces to seek change.

During the conversation with his Finnish counterpart, Nauseda also said the current situation exposed a discrepancy between Russia's declared ambitions and its real capabilities, adding that despite attempts to present itself as a global security actor, Russia was unable to exert decisive influence even in crises involving its closest partners.

Nauseda said rising tensions in the Middle East must not divert the international community’s attention from Russia’s war against Ukraine, adding that it was important to ensure international focus and comprehensive support for Ukraine remained consistent and did not weaken due to other crises.

The leaders of Lithuania and Finland agreed that an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict in the Middle East would have serious consequences for regional security and broader international stability. Nauseda said that in the current security environment it was particularly important to maintain clear strategic priorities.