The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
UK and Lithuania sign declaration to deepen defence and trade ties
The UK and Lithuania have signed a joint declaration that will look to build on bilateral defence and trade ties, the Foreign Office has announced.
Ministers from the Nato allies penned the accord yesterday to mark 100 years of bilateral relations between Britain and the eastern European nation in a move sparked by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Lithuania shares a border with Belarus, a country whose president, Alexander Lukashenko, has forged a close relationship with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The foreign secretary, speaking at the signing of the joint declaration, praised Lithuania for standing up to Russia – comments that follow on from her singling Vilnius out for resisting China’s “coercion”.
Liz Truss highlighted Lithuania in a speech at Mansion House last month as a country which Beijing had tried to bully economically.
The Cabinet minister said: “The UK and Lithuania are two countries which believe in freedom and sovereignty, and who stand up to authoritarian regimes in Europe and across the world.
“We stand together with Ukraine in the face of
Russia’s illegal, barbaric war.
“I have immense admiration and respect for Lithuania and I am delighted that today we are deepening our defence and security relationship, and forging greater opportunities for trade and investment through this joint declaration.”
In signing the agreement, Ms Truss and her Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis agreed to greater security and economic co-operation between their two countries in a move the Foreign Office said “helps further the UK’s global network of liberty”.
The UK Government said the declaration will build on the current defence cooperation the countries share as Nato allies and will increase resistance to threats, including from Russia and China.
The UK has welcomed Lithuania’s decision to cut off all Russian oil and gas in a bid to drain the Kremlin’s war machine of funding.
The declaration signed yesterday will also seek to build closer trade opportunities, counter organised crime, tackle climate change and promote people-to-people links between the UK and Lithuania, the Foreign Office said.