Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba held negotiations with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis during his first working visit to Ukraine.
“Ukraine and Lithuania are more than partners, more than friends. We, I may say, kindred spirits”, Dmytro Kuleba said.
The ministers held a meaningful conversation on the bilateral agenda. Dmytro Kuleba briefed his counterpart on the preparation of the inauguration summit of the Crimean Platform.
The parties paid a particular attention to fighting COVID-19 pandemic, Dmytro Kuleba thanked Gabrielius Landsbergis for the readiness to share the surplus vaccine, when there is any.
An important focus during the talk was made to further European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine, as well as to Ukraine – EU relations. Gabrielius Landsbergis confirmed readiness of Lithuania to further support Ukraine in NATO and the EU.
"We positively assess the decision of the EU Foreign Affairs Council to impose sanctions against human rights violators in Russia in response to the persecution of Alexei Navalny. I avail myself of this opportunity to reiterate my deep conviction that the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime should also tackle the violators of human rights in the temporarily occupied Crimea”, the minister emphasized.
In the framework of the visit the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine and Lithuania jointly took part in the ministerial panel discussion on the situation of human rights in Crimea, which was held on the margins of the High-Level Segment of 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
The interlocutors discussed the situation in Belarus, which causes concern of both parties. Dmytro Kuleba informed Gabrielius Landsbergis about Ukraine’s plans to connect the electric grid of Ukraine to the European grid, “what in fact means the disconnection of the Ukrainian grid from Russia and Belarus”. “This step will promote energy security of Ukraine, of Europe in general and of Lithuania in particular”, added the minister.
The ministers coordinated key bilateral events for 2021: meeting of the Council of the Presidents of Ukraine and Lithuania, the Ukraine Reform Conference, participation of Lithuania in the Crimean Platform inauguration summit and festivities on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of Independence of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian and Lithuanian ministers commended cooperation in the framework of the Lublin Triangle. They exchanged opinions on further steps, aimed at strengthening the role of the Lublin format in European politics.
For reference:
The strategic partnership between Ukraine and Lithuania was established in 2008.
On 23-24 February Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis is visiting Ukraine on his first working visit as the Foreign Minister. The new Lithuanian government started on 11 December 2020.
In 2019 the project “Provision of the education and sport equipment to the secondary school #2 in the city of Avdiyivka” was launched. The government of Lithuania allocated the amount of 1 million euros to financing the project. The Avdiyivka school has been included into the program of the President of Ukraine “Big construction 2021” as an object of social infrastructure.