Ministers of National Defence of Lithuania and Poland Arvydas Anušauskas and Mariusz Blaszczak met at the intersection point of Polish, Lithuanian and Belarusian borders on September 20 to discuss the security situation by the Lithuanian and Polish borders. The territory of Belarus has been a launching pad for a range of provocations conducted by the Minsk and Moscow regimes for a while now.
“The security situation on the Lithuanian and Polish border with Belarus remains tense, therefore Minister Mariusz Blaszcziak and I maintain intense cooperation on the mutually viewed threats and full readiness to respond as one. Our countries have the same geographically defines directions of security threats, namely, Kaliningrad and Belarusian borders. We, Lithuania and Poland, need to act together,” said A. Anušauskas.
Ministers agreed that both countries had a shared understanding of the needed actions and the trigger threats. Lithuania and Poland were flooded with illegal migrants manipulated by the Belarusian regime, nuclear blackmail, as well as a massing of Wagner mercenaries followed.
The different forms of threats posed to Lithuania and Poland reflect the forms of modern warfare that encompass much more than direct military actions.
Ministers also discussed aspects of strengthening NATO’s Eastern flank, defence of the Suwalki Corridor, joint quick reactions exercises, and the resolve to ensure collective defence of the two countries and the entire region.
Minister A. Anušauskas thanked Poland for the leadership in rendering assistance to Ukraine an invited to join the demining of Ukraine coalition formed by Lithuania. Besides, Ministers addressed assistance to Ukraine and the aim to sustain the support.
Lithuania and Poland have a clear understanding of the security challenges in the region and act together. Their cooperation demonstrated the strong Lithuanian-Polish resolve to maintain the security in both countries and the region.
Photo credit: MoD / K. Kavolėlis