Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland share responsibility for securing the European Union's eastern border. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after a meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart Mindaugas Sinkiewicz in Warsaw, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported, BTA reports.
The talks at the Polish government building were mainly devoted to regional security and the upcoming Lithuanian rotating presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of next year.
After the meeting, Tusk stressed that Poland and Lithuania have common positions on key geopolitical issues, including preserving unity in the EU and NATO and responding to Russian aggression. According to him, there is "not even the slightest reason for misunderstandings or differences of opinion" between the two countries.
The Polish prime minister described this unity as an essential factor in strengthening security on Europe's eastern flank. He also praised the close and "exemplary cooperation" between the two countries in the energy sector.
Tusk thanked the Lithuanian government for its consistent position on Russian aggression against Ukraine and confirmed that Warsaw and Vilnius would continue to support Kiev in its defense against Russia. The two countries intend to present a "united and very clear" position on sanctions against Moscow at the upcoming EU summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.
For his part, Sinkiewicz said that the defense of NATO's eastern flank must continue to be strengthened, as Russia remains the main threat to European security. He stressed that Poland and Lithuania are connected not only by their common border and interests, but also by a strategic partnership, which “is more important today than ever“.