Russia's war in Ukraine poses threat to Middle East, world - Lithuanian PM in Palestine

VILNIUS - Russia's war against Ukraine has rocked the global security architecture and its consequences pose a threat not only to Europe but also to the Middle East and the whole world, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said on Tuesday at a meeting with her Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Shtayyeh.

The two prime ministers discussed the security situation in the region and in the world, bilateral relations, as well as opportunities for broader economic cooperation between Lithuania and Palestine, the Lithuanian government's press service said.

They also discussed the impact of Russia's war against Ukraine on regional and global security, the economy and food security, and shared experience in the areas of digitization, financial technology, recycling and the implementation of a deposit-refund system. The prospects for business partnerships and student exchange programs were also discussed.

"We are delighted with joint projects that go beyond fostering links in traditional economic sectors, but also help to fulfill the potential of digitization and the IT sector. However, the creation of wellbeing in any form is impossible without security and peace," the Lithuanian prime minster said.

Simonyte and Shtayyeh discussed the Middle East peace process and the two-state solution as "the only way to achieve sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine", the statement said.