On January 15 Vice Minister of National Defence Margiris Abukevičius and Ambassador of the United States to Lithuania Robert Gilchrist had a distance meeting on the priorities and ongoing joint projects of the Lithuanian-U.S. defence cooperation.
“Cooperation with the U.S. in the area of security and defence stands as one of the cornerstone and priority areas to Lithuania. Our strategic partnership and assistance to Lithuania in deployments and financial resources significantly adds strength to the Lithuanian and regional security. Military presence of the U.S. alongside NATO is the pivotal factor of deterrence in the region, therefore we will seek to make it permanent,” Vice Minister said at the meeting. “The third heavy U.S. battalion has been deployed in Lithuania within a year and the U.S. financial support boosts our efforts to develop the necessary military capabilities. We are thankful to the United States for that. We will be seeking to strengthen the Lithuanian-U.S. cooperation in the areas of multinational missions and operations, cyber defence and early warning. It is essential to consolidate the relations with the incoming U.S. administration too.”
The United States is Lithuania’s strategic partner and key ally for the security of the Baltic region. The U.S. actively participates in the implementation of the Assurance Measures in the Baltic states thus strengthening security and stability in the region. The country contributes soldiers, equipment and finance to the defence of our region. According to the European Deterrence Initiative, the financial support for strengthening defensive capabilities and improving military infrastructure of European countries, including Lithuania, is consistently increased every year. The U.S. is also among the main partners in weaponry procurement.
