Prime Minister discusses Nordic-Baltic cooperation and regional security with President of Finland
Lithuania and Finland take a responsible approach to their security, set an example through defence funding, and must continue to deepen regional cooperation, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said during her meeting with President of Finland, Alexander Stubb, who is paying a state visit to Lithuania.
The two leaders discussed bilateral relations, the Nordic-Baltic partnership, regional security, support for Ukraine, and other issues.
“As NATO allies and like-minded partners bound by geography and shared interests, we must continue to deepen our regional cooperation. We have an excellent and effective framework for this in the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8). Security in the Baltic Sea, protection of critical infrastructure, resilience to hybrid threats, our shared understanding of the importance of the transatlantic link, protection of the EU’s eastern borders, and support for Ukraine are among the key areas—though by no means the only ones—where our countries can strengthen their partnership even further,” Prime Minister Ruginienė said.
Lithuania and Finland have been among Ukraine’s most active supporters since the start of Russia’s full-scale military aggression. As the Prime Minister noted, the war at the heart of Europe must not fade into the background. It is essential to maintain and expand comprehensive support for Ukraine and to continue increasing pressure on Russia, which has shown no willingness to pursue peace, including through sanctions.
The meeting also focused on the shared interest in strengthening national and European defence industries. The Prime Minister highlighted Lithuania’s “green corridor” conditions for defence industry investments, the country’s openness to international partnerships, and already successful examples of cooperation.
The discussion items also included the strong and constructive transatlantic relations and current issues on the European Union agenda.
