English Section

Polish, Baltic parliamentary leaders discuss regional security, support for Ukraine

16.01.2023 21:00
Senior parliamentarians from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have met in Warsaw to discuss regional cooperation and ways to help Ukraine win the war with Russia.
Polands lower-house Speaker Elżbieta Witek (second from right); the head of the Lithuanian parliament, Viktorija milyt-Nielsen (second from left); Latvias Edvards Smiltens (left); and Estonias Juri Ratas (right) meet in Warsaw on Monday, January 16, 2023.
Poland's lower-house Speaker Elżbieta Witek (second from right); the head of the Lithuanian parliament, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen (second from left); Latvia's Edvards Smiltens (left); and Estonia's Juri Ratas (right) meet in Warsaw on Monday, January 16, 2023.PAP/Albert Zawada

The meeting was hosted by the Speaker of the Polish lower house, Elżbieta Witek, on Monday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

Also present were the head of the Lithuanian parliament Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Latvia’s Edvards Smiltens and Estonia’s Juri Ratas, according to officials. 

At a joint news conference afterwards, Witek said: “We share the same view on the geopolitical situation in Europe, and we are of the same opinion when it comes to the threat coming from Russia.”

Support for Ukraine

Witek added: “We also spoke in one voice about ways to help Ukraine so that it wins this war, while Russia suffers an unquestionable defeat.”

She told reporters: “We have everything in common, there wasn’t a single aspect of discussion where our opinions differed, that’s an immensely positive thing.”

Joint declaration

Witek announced that she and her Baltic counterparts had signed a joint declaration on ways to deepen cooperation in the face of geopolitical threats. 

“This declaration is proof of our cooperation; it outlines the geopolitical situation and the role that our countries have to play,” she added.     

Witek told reporters that Monday’s meeting explored many important issues related to the war.

Nudging 'bigger countries' to step up assistance to Kyiv

She said the topics included “ways to persuade bigger countries to step up their military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”  

Witek said she was grateful to the Baltic parliamentary leaders for accepting her invitation to the Warsaw meeting.

She added that by joining forces, the four partners could hope to "have a bigger impact."  

Witek’s sentiments were echoed by Čmilytė-Nielsen, Smiltens and Ratas.

“Together we can do more [for Ukraine and the region],” Latvia’s Smiltens said. 

Monday was day 327 of Russia’s war against Ukraine.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, wprost.pl