News

Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius in NATO Foreign Ministers meeting in Brussels on 2 December discussed the implementation of Assurance Measures for the Baltic States’ security and the Readiness Action Plan of NATO, and expressed strong support for Ukraine, which had to contend with Russian aggression.

Ministers reviewed the ongoing implementation of the Readiness Action Plan: forces were generated to ensure implementation of the Assurance Measures in Lithuania and in other countries in the region in 2015. NATO has already established the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, or the Spearhead Force, moreover, Allies are quickly contributing to strategic headquarters in Central and Eastern Europe.

“NATO has unanimously agreed to ensure continuity of the necessary Assurance Measures. NATO’s air, land and maritime presence will increase in Lithuania in 2015. Representatives of the United States Armed Forces remain in our country, other Allies will also contribute to the implementation of the Assurance Measures,” said L.Linkevičius, adding that NATO Readiness Action Plan (RAP) was being successfully and timely implemented. Currently, the most important task is keeping the pace for the full implementation of RAP until the next Summit in Warsaw in 2016.

“In the Wales Summit Declaration, Allies committed to spend a minimum of 2% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on defence in the short run. Our preparedness to respond to current security challenges depends on this,” noted Lithuania’s Foreign Minister.

The NATO Ministers discussed the situation in Ukraine with their Ukrainian counterpart Pavlo Klimkin. According to L.Linkevičius, Russia shows no signs that it is ready to implement the Minsk agreements and to strive for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. Therefore, NATO’s support must include all possible measures.

“We must help Ukraine strengthen its defence capabilities, so that the costs of the armed aggression would be too high for the aggressor,” Lithuania’s Foreign Minister said after meeting with Minister Klimkin.

L.Linkevičius welcomed the establishment of NATO’s four Trust Funds for Ukraine to help the country’s Armed Forces increase their preparedness. Lithuania will contribute to the Trust Fund, which will finance Ukraine’s logistics, command and control, as well as will continue provide rehabilitation for the wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

Photo: NATO