On February 12-14 Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė joins NATO counterparts at the NATO Defence Ministerial in Brussels and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group Ramstein format meeting held together at the NATO Headquarters on February 12.
At the Ramstein format meeting, for the first time hosted by the United Kingdom, Minister D. Šakalienė underscored that russia’s war in Ukraine will have direct implications to our security situation. “There are the unquestionable norms of international law. Ukraine’s borders cannot be redrawn. If we want real peace, it can only come through strength. If the war in Ukraine is stopped in the absence of real security guarantees and a clearly mapped out long-term military assistance, our own clock will start ticking,” Minister said.
The Lithuanian assistance package worth of EUR 80 million responds to the most Urgent Ukraine’s needs and takes up nearly half of Lithuania’s yearly commitment in aid to Ukraine. Lithuania’s military assistance to Ukraine is estimated to reach 1 billion euros this year.
The NATO Defence Ministers particularly focused of the U.S. role in Europe and European defence investment for the long-term. D. Šakalienė underscored addressing the Allied Ministers that deterrence could only be successful if achieved through strength.
“Europe and the United States have to stay standing together. Investment and military strength will cut our enemy short. The war in Ukraine and the security situation in the Indo-Pacific are interconnected. Russia and China are coordinating their actions. And we know from history that russia’s border stops only where the aggressor is stopped forcefully,” Minister said.
Minister also took part in the Baltic states and NATO enhanced Forward Presence (3+3) format meetings, as well as the Nordic-Baltic NB8 meeting. Allied Minister of Defence signed Letters of Intent on development and integration of lower level air defence threats and passive air surveillance capability. Minister also had bilateral meetings with Ministers of Defence of Greece and Canada, got in touch with Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher G. Cavoli and the new U.S. Secretary of Defence Pete Hegsethu.
Thursday minister D. Šakalienė departs for Germany to take part in the Munich Security Conference on February 14–15.
Photo: courtesy of NATO.int
