Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas presented Lithuania’s position in a discussion over the actions of Alexander Lukashenko’s regime in the European Union Defence Ministers’ meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Lisbon. A. Anušauskas urged the Allies to maintain vigilance: according to Minister, Belarus will follow the pattern of aggressive behaviour in the future as well.
“The situation around us continues deteriorating. Lukashenko will not halt and his aim is clear – he seeks to destroy the democracy and violate the values that we stand up for. That is why we need to coordinate our response. NATO and the EU need a way to respond to such attacks quickly,” said A. Anušauskas at the meeting.
The topic of Belarus became the main axis of Ministers’ addresses in Lisbon. The plane hijacking was acknowledged to be an act of state terrorism, Minister of Defence of Latvia urged the EU “to act like a union based on values should.”
“The barbaric act of detaining over a hundred EU citizens in the middle of Europe has not only been denounced – such behavior of Belarus will not be tolerated,” said A. Anušauskas after the session.
Thursday Ministers addressed opportunities to strengthen the NATO-EU cooperation with NATO Secretary General J. Stoltenberg, on Friday the meeting in Lisbon will focus on the EU military capacity building.
Photo: Minister Arvydas Anušauskas and Minister of Defence of Portugal Joao Cravinho (credit: Goncalo Delgado).
