Vice-Minister Plepytė at the Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence: Global resilience and the presence of allies are essential security factors

On 4-5 March in Canada, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Audra Plepytė is attending a high-level Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence.

During the conference, the Vice-Minister presented Lithuania's and the region's security situation and Lithuania's experience in consistently increasing defence investments, boosting military readiness, and developing a comprehensive resilience model.

"Operating in a complex, dynamic security environment, Lithuania is purposefully strengthening its defence capabilities and increasing investment in national defence. However, modern defence extends beyond the military dimension and is based on the resilience of the state and society as a whole. Lithuania is consistently developing a model based on the principle of universal defence, which mandates the involvement of not only state institutions but also civil society, business, self-government, and other partners," said the Vice-Minister.

She also underlined the close cooperation of Lithuania and the countries of the region with Canada in the field of security and defence, as well as joint commitments to strengthening Euro-Atlantic security.

"The presence of allied forces in the region, including Canada, is a key deterrence factor for Russia. A strong transatlantic bond and close cooperation with partners are essential to ensure long-term security in the Euro-Atlantic area," said Plepytė.

During the visit to Canada, bilateral meetings with high-level Canadian officials are also planned to discuss bilateral relations between Lithuania and Canada, deepening security and defence cooperation, further support for Ukraine, and ensuring Russia's accountability.

The Ottawa Conference on Security and Defence is Canada's main national security and defence forum, which is celebrating its 94th edition this year. The event focuses on Canada's pledge to increase its defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, examining the impact of this decision on military readiness, national capabilities, and international partnerships.