On November 17, president Gitanas Nausėda met with the president of Poland Andrzej Duda, who came for a two-day working visit to Lithuania. During their meeting the presidents established the Council of Presidents to strengthen cooperation at bilateral, NATO and EU levels, and to ensure transatlantic partnership and security. The Council’s agenda will focus on maintaining security and stability and strengthening democracy in the Eastern Partnership countries.
Security and defense issues were an important topic during the meeting. It was agreed that strong transatlantic relations with the US were the foundation of the region’s security. The two Presidents noted that further strengthening of cooperation by improving the military mobility infrastructure, combating hybrid and cyber threats as well as disinformation is essential. President Nausėda expressed gratitude to Poland for its contribution to Baltic security – Polish troops already took eight rotations in the Baltic air policing mission.
During the bilateral meeting, the Presidents discussed their countries’ response to the Covid-19 pandemic as well as issues of human rights freedoms.
The presidents agreed that Lithuanian and Polish authorities will strengthen coordination and share good practices in managing the pandemic as well as implementing vaccination and testing strategies. “In the face of the pandemic, it is highly important to complete the legal procedures for the approval of the multiannual EU Budget and the Recovery Fund so that the planned funds can be used as soon as possible”, president Nausėda said.
Both presidents confirmed the necessity of maintaining and expanding EU sanctions against Russia, and together with the EU and the US, fighting against historical falsification, interference in elections in third countries, and attempts to take human lives.
The leaders also discussed the deteriorating situation in Belarus as to human rights and freedoms. It was agreed that pressure by the international community must be increased on the regime and also an EU economic support plan for a democratic Belarus should be drafted as soon as possible.
They once again stressed the need to speed up synchronization of the management of the electricity system by 2025 and drop electricity imports from third countries.
With news from the Office of the President
