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The President: Coordinated action by allies is necessary to strengthen NATO's eastern flank

President of the Republic of Lithuania

November 25, 2022

President Gitanas Nausėda met with the Presidents of Romania, Poland and Latvia in Kaunas on Friday. The leaders discussed security and defense, reinforcement of NAT's eastern flank, historical memory and fight against disinformation, support for Ukraine, and sanctions against Russia.

President Gitanas Nausėda underlined that it is critically important for NATO eastern flank countries to have the Madrid summit commitments delivered and more ambitious regional defense plans adopted at the next NATO summit in Vilnius. According to the President, the Vilnius summit will be an excellent opportunity to discuss Ukraine's aspirations for Euro-Atlantic integration and to outline more clearly the prospects for their realization

The President emphasized that the solidarity and unity of the countries in the region are especially important in the context of Russia's war on Ukraine. According to Gitanas Nausėda, we need to continue targeted efforts to strengthen the region's defense capabilities, work together with our allies and uphold the transatlantic bond.

"We have lived in Russia's vicinity for centuries and we know like no one else that the aggressor will not be stopped by concessions. That is why we need to strengthen our defenses, increase support for Ukraine and build up pressure on Russia. And above all, we must stay united, because that is our greatest strength," the President said.

Gitanas Nausėda also underscored the importance of fighting disinformation and preserving historical memory. According to the President, we must be proactive in shaping historical narratives, so that fact-based information, not Kremlin's lies, dominates the public domain. The President stressed that it was also necessary to raise the awareness of Western partners about Communism crimes by consistently bringing up this issue in various international forums.

In Kaunas, the Presidents of Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Romania issued a joint statement on regional security and European integration. In their statement, the Presidents reaffirm the need for coordinated action to strengthen NATO's eastern flank, express strong support for the European integration of Ukraine and Moldova, and agree on the need to meet Ukraine's transatlantic aspirations.

The full text of the statement is available here.