Lithuania urges closer US ties amid Russia, Ukraine tensions

A top Lithuanian official has called on the Baltic states and the US to strengthen 'collective defense' amid the Ukraine, Russia crisis.

Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Rolandas Kacinskas urged the US and Nordic cuntries to contribute to the implementation of decisions taken at the NATO Wales Summit and to strengthen areas including energy, cybersecurity, information and economic security. 

"In the face of Russia's increasing aggression it is especially important to strengthen the interaction between the USA, the Baltic and Nordic countries in the field of regional security," said Kacinskas.

The comments come after a meeting of political directors in Washington DC earlier this week. 

The meetings with White House officials focused on transatlantic co-operation, closer co-operation in the field of security, the EU-US negotiations on a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

Meanhwhile, Estonia has also organised a meeting of political directors in Kiev and a high-level cyber security experts' meeting in Tallinn.