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UPDATE: Polish lower-house Speaker discusses regional security in Lithuania

06.02.2024 10:00
Poland's lower-house Speaker Szymon Hołownia has embarked on a two-day visit to neighbouring Lithuania, aiming to discuss bilateral ties and regional security in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Szymon Hołownia
Szymon HołowniaPAP/Valdemar Doveiko

During the visit, his first official trip abroad, Hołownia on Monday held talks with officials including Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and parliamentary Speaker Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen.

Speaking to reporters in Vilnius on Monday, Hołownia said that the talks focused on the development of parliamentary diplomacy and military cooperation between Poland and Lithuania, in addition to further support for Ukraine, as well as another package of European Union sanctions against Russia.

Before the trip, Hołownia stated: "Given the current era of significant shifts, challenges and emerging forces in European politics, it's imperative to foster robust diplomatic ties between our nations."

He told public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency that "Poland needs to build a northern policy" by developing closer relations with the Baltic states and Nordic countries.

"The Baltic Sea is evolving into NATO's internal domain, and we're well aware of the threats posed by Russia," Hołownia said. "Establishing genuine cooperation among countries in this region ... is of paramount importance," he added.

While in Vilnius, Hołownia also met with Poles living in Lithuania, the IAR news agency reported.

On Tuesday, he was scheduled to meet with students at Vilnius University and pay tribute to Poles buried in local cemeteries.

Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.

Tuesday is day 713 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP