Poland’s Andrzej Duda was hosted by Lithuania’s Gitanas Nausėda in the capital Vilnius on Wednesday, public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency reported.
It was the first day of the Polish president’s three-day visit to the Baltic neighbour, according to officials.
NATO summit, support for Ukraine
After the talks with Nausėda, Poland’s Duda told a joint news conference in Vilnius that one of the main topics was the NATO summit, scheduled in the Lithuanian capital for next week.
He said: “Our goal is to ensure that the Vilnius summit makes decisions to further strengthen and adapt NATO’s policy of deterrence and defence.”
The Polish president stated: “We’ll be seeking the creation of a NATO-Ukraine Council. We also hope that the allies will decide that Ukraine doesn’t need any Membership Action Plan, that Ukraine will be fast-tracked into NATO membership.”
Duda said the Vilnius summit should also “confirm allied unity and solidarity with Ukraine.”
He added that NATO "ought to reaffirm it will support Ukraine until Ukraine drives Russian soldiers out of its territory, until peace reigns and the war ends.”
The Polish president told reporters that “only NATO as the world’s most powerful defensive alliance” can help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression and help restore the primacy of international law.
'Cooperation between our armies'
Duda said he and Nausėda also discussed bilateral Polish-Lithuanian cooperation, including the deployment of a contingent of Polish special forces for joint exercises with Lithuanian troops this week and to help protect the NATO summit on July 11-12.
“I am glad that our soldiers will carry out this mission,” he said.
The Polish president stated: “Hopefully, together with President Nausėda, we’ll initiate even wider-ranging joint military manoeuvres in the future, to deepen cooperation between our armies.”
Duda also said that “Poland is fast modernising its military” and voiced hope that Polish and Lithuanian arms industries would "further their links," Polish state news agency PAP reported.
‘Strategic Polish-Lithuanian partnership has gained new meaning’
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Nausėda told reporters that “the strategic partnership between Poland and Lithuania has gained a new meaning amid the cruel war that continues in Europe.”
He added: “I appreciate our close cooperation, our constant coordination of efforts and our joint measures to ensure security in the region.”
The Lithuanian president stated: “We have agreed to further develop our defence and security cooperation, carry out more joint exercises on land and at sea to protect our borders and airspace. We’ll also be developing our defence industries and their technological base.”
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launching the largest military campaign in Europe since World War II.
Wednesday is day 497 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: PAP, prezydent.pl