On August 24 at the meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun, Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis discussed the situation in Belarus, current bilateral relations between Lithuania and the United States, and issues of NATO and defence cooperation.
“The United States is our most important transatlantic partner, and the US military presence in the country and support for capacity development is critical to us. We are ready to ensure all the necessary conditions for the permanent presence of the US contingent in Lithuania – we are updating the necessary infrastructure for that, ” the Minister of National Defence R. Karoblis said at the meeting. The Minister emphasized that Lithuania would continue to maintain the pace of joint exercises with the United States. It is planned that the US battalion will arrive in Lithuania for exercises already this September.
The guest was also interested in Lithuania’s assessment of the situation in Belarus. “As we can see, Mr Lukashenko continues to actively seek external enemies in order to further develop the narrative that the events in Belarus were set off not by the Belarusian people seeking freedom and democracy, but by the Western states. We view all statements and actions unambiguously, as an attempt to divert attention from the internal political crisis and to further develop the narrative of alleged external enemies in order to justify actions against both the Belarusian people and the international community. Our response to Belarus’s actions has been restrained and sustained, as we are closely monitoring the situation and are ready for various scenarios, “the Minister said at the meeting.
The United States is Lithuania’s strategic partner and the main ally in ensuring security in the Baltic region. The United States is actively involved in implementing security measures in the Baltic States, strengthening security and stability in the region. With its troops, equipment and financial resources, the United States is actively contributing to the defence of our region. Under the European Deterrence Initiative, financial support for strengthening the defence capabilities of European countries, including Lithuania, and for improving military infrastructure is consistently increased every year. The US is also one of the main partners in arms procurement.
Photos by: Alfredas Pliadis (MOD)
