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On 3 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis took part in a remote a meeting of Foreign Ministers in the Bucharest Nine (B9) format. The meeting was held at the initiative of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Poland and Romania to discuss the security situation on the eastern flank of NATO, the strengthening of support for Ukraine, as well as to coordinate positions, when countering Russia’s aggressive posture and responding to the Kremlin’s inadequate demands.

The meeting was also attended by the French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

In his speech, Landsbergis highlighted the worrying build-up of Russian military forces in Belarus and the need to reinforce deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank. Lithuania’s Foreign Minister also called on the European Union and NATO to coordinate their stance and to agree on a unified response to Russia’s demands aimed at breaking down the unity between the United States of America and Europe.

“As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and as individual allies, we must do all the homework related to deterrence and defence, and get ready for all possible scenarios. Russia aims to undermine the transatlantic unity, which is why we must remain united and speak with one voice to Russia,” said Landsbergis.

During the meeting, Lithuania’s Foreign Minister also informed about Lithuania’s support for Ukraine and encouraged the participants to further strengthen Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself. “Today, the provision of support for Ukraine is one of the key ways to reinforce deterrence,” said Landsbergis.

The Bucharest Nine (B9) group is a platform that aims at coordinating security positions of nine eastern flank NATO allies. It consists of Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.