Lithuanian diplomats send defense message to US new administration

Rolandas Kačinskas, the Foreign Ministry’s political director who headed the delegation, told BNS the Lithuanian diplomats met with officials in charge of handover of power in the Pentagon, the Department of State and the White House.

“We said we realize their need to consolidate their national defense and demonstrated that Lithuania did not expect others to ensure our security,” Kačinskas said in a telephone interview from Washington D.C.

After the 2014 annexation of Crimea by Russia, Lithuania has raised its defense spending, which used to be among the lowest among NATO member-states. Last year, partial mandatory conscription to the army was reintroduced. The new government says that the NATO-prescribed goal of earmarking 2 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) for defense needs would be reached in 2018.

Related Post

During his election campaign, US President-Elect Donald Trump sent alarming messages to Europe by stating the US decision on Allied defense would only be made after seeing whether they meet their commitments.

Kačinskas did not specify the officials the Lithuanian delegation met with. In his words, energy security was also high on the agenda of the meetings.

Share

Recent Posts

  • Foreign affairs

“No need to mince words”: an assessment of what Trump’s victory means for Lithuania

"We can shout very loudly, but it won't change the position of the American people,"…

2 weeks ago
  • Latest

Lies, disrespect and mockery: experts assess Blinkevičiūtė’s “gift” to voters without scruples

From mocking messages flooding social networks to harsh criticism from political experts, the decision of…

3 weeks ago
  • Foreign affairs

Another year in the sovereign history of Kazakhstan

Republic Day has been celebrated in Kazakhstan as the main national date since 2022, giving…

4 weeks ago
  • Defence

In the assessment of NATO’s readiness for war with Russia, there is also a warning about the Baltic states: what is the Kremlin’s wild card?

According to Lrytas.lt, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) faces a new geopolitical reality with…

4 weeks ago
  • Tribune

The Citus projects: The Kaip Niujorke by CITUS project continues – the spirit of New York unfolds in Vilnius, and the second phase is launching

In September, Citus – a creative real estate projects’ development and placemaking company – began…

4 weeks ago
  • Latest

These parties will enter the Seimas for the third time in a row. How many votes did they lose, and how many did they gain?

As various parties emerge, disappear or reorganize themselves in the political space, the Lithuanian Social…

1 month ago