Budrys: Türkiye is an important NATO ally with a key role in regional security

On 16 January, on the sidelines of the Snow Meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye Hakan Fidan. At the meeting key issues of bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation, geopolitical situation in the Baltic Sea and Middle East regions, combat and response measures to hybrid threats were discussed.

The Minister thanked Türkiye for its contribution to the security of Lithuania and the Baltic region, its participation in the Baltic Air Policing mission and the deployment of the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft.

"Türkiye is an important NATO ally, playing a significant role in strengthening regional security and providing assistance to Ukraine. Unity and joint coordinated efforts are essential today to ensure a sustainable and just peace in Europe and hold the aggressors accountable," Budrys said.

Speaking about the security situation in the region and Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine, the head of Lithuania's diplomacy stressed the need to maintain strong and consistent support for Ukraine, to prevent attempts to circumvent sanctions and to ensure a sustainable and just peace.

According to the Minister, Lithuania supports constructive and mutually beneficial dialogue between the European Union and Türkiye, especially in the areas of security, economy, trade, transport and energy, which brings beneficial results to both sides.

The meeting also discussed new opportunities for bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and Türkiye in the field of defence industry, joint initiatives in implementing projects in Ukraine, as well as bilateral self-government projects in the fields of green transformation and energy efficiency.

The quadripartite meeting of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Türkiye in the format of foreign ministers also took place on the sidelines of the Snow Meeting in Vilnius. Latvia was represented by the Parliamentary Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Artjoms Uršuļskis. The meeting addressed strengthening NATO's partnership and transatlantic dialogue, cooperation in mobilising support for Ukraine, and prospects for Türkiye's EU membership.