Lithuania and Poland ‘share understanding of geopolitical challenges’ – Grybauskaitė

“Lithuania and Poland have the same understanding of geopolitical challenges. We live in one region, and only close cooperation in all fields can ensure security for the people of Lithuania and Poland,” Grybauskaitė said in a press release.

The first face-to-face meeting between Grybauskaitė and Duda took place in the framework of a regional event in Croatia on Thursday, the first conversation in such format after Duda was sworn in as Poland’s president last August.

According to the press release circulated by the President’s Office, the bilateral meeting discussed cooperation on energy and military security, strategic bilateral projects, cooperation within the EU and NATO, geopolitical situation, security threats facing Lithuania, Poland and the entire region, and the situation in Europe after Brexit.

Lithuania and Poland are important economic partners, sharing close trade relations and joint infrastructure projects and investments. Poland is Lithuania’s second-biggest trade partner, ranking 5th in terms of foreign direct investments.

Nominated by the conservative Law and Justice party, Duda was sworn in as Poland’s president on August 6 last year. Duda chose Estonia for his first foreign visit.

Exchange of top-level official visits between Vilnius and Warsaw was frozen over the past years due to the different stances countries hold on the situation of ethnic minorities.

The issues related to Lithuania’s Polish-speaking minority was not mentioned in the press release from the Lithuanian President’s Office.