News

On 14 September, the 6th round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Japan took place in Riga. The discussions highlighted the indivisibility of security in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. The participants discussed continued military, political, and financial support for Ukraine, as well as the need to increase pressure on Russia by strengthening the implementation of sanctions. The discussion also focused extensively on the potential for cooperation between Japan and the Baltic states in the areas of economic security.

“Economic security is an integral part of our national security. The Baltic states and Japan share a common understanding that we must reduce strategic dependencies, strengthen supply chain resilience, and protect critical infrastructure. We see significant scope for practical cooperation in this area,” said Vidmantas Verbickas, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, representing Lithuania.

The countries agreed to strengthen cooperation in international forums and in the areas of the economy, development cooperation, and economic security, including the protection of critical infrastructure.

Japan is Lithuania’s most important partner in the Indo-Pacific region. This year, Lithuania and Japan are marking the 35th anniversary of the re-establishment of diplomatic relations, and in 2027, they will celebrate the fifth anniversary of their strategic partnership.

During Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a forum of foreign ministers from the EU and the Indo-Pacific region will be organized in Brussels. During its Presidency, Lithuania will seek to strengthen the EU’s role in the world by fostering effective partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region.