Assisting Ukraine is priority of Polish, Lithuanian foreign policies: FM Sikorski
mz/kk
20.03.2024, 12:49
Photo: PAP/Mateusz Marek
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On Wednesday, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, during a joint press conference with his Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis, stated that the highest priority of both countries’ foreign policies is to assist Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. He added that both countries advocate for equalizing the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus.
In a joint press conference following the talks between the two officials, Sikorski emphasized that contacts between Lithuania and Poland are intense, demonstrating the close relationship between the two countries.
“The highest priority of the foreign policy of both of our countries is to assist Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. Partnership within NATO and the EU drives our cooperation both bilaterally and multilaterally; we defend the borders of the West, and on the eastern flank, we strengthen the security of the entire region,” said the head of the Polish Foreign Ministry.
He added that he has the impression that Poland and Lithuania “have become closer than ever in recent history.”
“At the same time, I hope that in both countries, all the demands of the Council of Europe’s convention regarding minorities will be respected,” Sikorski said.
He reported that he and Landsbergis discussed matters related to the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, especially strategic plans related to Sweden and Finland’s accession to the Alliance.
Sikorski also said that Poland and Lithuania advocate for equalizing sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus and support the effective enforcement of these sanctions.
“Lukashenka’s business model partly serves as a place and territory to evade sanctions imposed on Russia. Therefore, equalization [of sanctions] would make sense both practically and legally because Belarus is also an aggressor state, as it provided its territory for the attack on Kyiv. Sanctions, if they are to have their effect, must be effectively enforced, and equalizing sanctions would serve this purpose,” Sikorski emphasized.
Gabrielius Landsbergis stated that sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus must be strengthened.
The head of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry also noted that decisions regarding the defense of the eastern flank must be revisited at the NATO summit in Washington, which is scheduled for July.
“All of this has been strengthened by the actions of the entire Alliance; it all also depends on Ukraine’s victory. We must do everything to ensure that Ukraine wins as soon as possible, and in Washington, another step towards Ukraine’s NATO membership should be taken,” he said.
Regarding Polish-Lithuanian relations, Landsbergis emphasized that “in these turbulent times, it is very important that some things remain stable.”
“Our strategic cooperation is strengthening,” he stressed. He also spoke about the need for joint planning and exercises, especially regarding the Suwałki Gap, a strategic 100-kilometer stretch on the Lithuanian-Polish border, flanked by the Russian exclave of Królewiec and Belarus, having critical importance in regional security.
