Prime Minister meets Prime Minister and President of Singapore: focus on security and economic relations
On Friday, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė discussed security, bilateral and economic relations with the leaders of Singapore - President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
‘Relations between Lithuania and Singapore have gained a welcome momentum in recent years, but we have realized only part of our potential and our countries could be gateways to new markets in Asia and Europe to each other. Challenges to the rules-based international order, the biggest of which is Russia’s war against Ukraine, also bring us closer together today. I am pleased that Lithuania and Singapore share a common understanding of the importance of safeguarding this order, which is the foundation of security and welfare in the world,’ said the Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.
We are closer to each other than we might think, added the Prime Minister, because security in the Euro-Atlantic area and in the Indo-Pacific region are closely related and unpunished aggression is spreading.
The Prime Minister expressed her appreciation for Singapore’s firm position on Russia’s war against Ukraine and its contribution to sanctions against the aggressor. Support for Ukraine is particularly important as it is not just a regional conflict but a threat to the global security architecture.
As the Prime Minister stressed, peace is not and has never been in Russia’s interest, and Ukraine cannot be pushed towards a ceasefire dictated by the conditions of the aggressor.
Opening up new markets and relations with like-minded countries is crucial for economic security and resilience, thus Indo-Pacific strategy of Lithuania is also focused on this, stated the Prime Minister.
Areas of cooperation where Lithuania has a lot to offer include biotechnology, fintech, IT services, food technology. The importance of cybersecurity is also growing, where Lithuania has a strong input, said the Head of Government.
The greatest assets of small countries like Lithuania and Singapore are the talents and creativity of our societies, and close ties between the countries make it possible to nurture these strengths, added the Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė.