Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania
We, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania express serious concerns over the political situation developing in Georgia and urge all political forces to act with restraint, de-escalate the situation and seek constructive solution in the interest of Georgia and all its citizens. We stress the critical importance of the rule of law and political dialogue in order to resolve the current crisis.
On 24 February, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Mantas Adomėnas took part in a virtual ministerial meeting of the Alliance for Multilateralism, which for the second time convened in the margins of the High Level Segment of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. The meeting looked into new challenges for human rights and preparedness and response to health crisis.
On 23 February, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Arnoldas Pranckevičius took part in an informal video conference of European affairs ministers, who prepared the informal video conference of Members of the European Council on 25-26 February. Ministers discussed the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, security and defence, and issues of the European Union's neighbourhood. They also exchanged views on the European democracy action plan and took stock of the interinstitutional discussions on the Conference on the Future of Europe, as well as assessed the state of play of EU-UK relations.
On 22 February, EU ministers of foreign affairs made a political decision to impose targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment and the crackdown on peaceful protesters under the EU global human rights sanctions regime, or the so-called European Magnitsky Act.
On 22 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis participated in the Foreign Affairs Council, which focused on the EU-Russia relations, the human rights and democracy situation in Belarus, Myanmar, Hong Kong, and the EU initiative to strengthen a common European security and defence culture.
On the eve of the Foreign Affairs Council to be held on 22 February, EU ministers of foreign affairs, ambassadors, and representatives of the EU institutions met with Leonid Volkov, chief of staff to Alexei Navalny, and Ivan Zhdanov, Director of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis.
On 18 February, a virtual side-event on the human rights violations in Belarus took place in the run-up to the 46th session of the Human Rights Council. The event aimed to discuss the ongoing human rights violations in Belarus and possible ways of how the international community, and the UN Human Rights Council in particular, could contribute to ensuring the accountability for those violations.
Lithuania deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe the instrument of ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on an Integrated Safety, Security and Service Approach at Football Matches and Other Sports Events. Its purpose is to go from a violence-focused approach towards an integrated approach based on safety, security and service. The Convention also promotes co-operation between all public and private stakeholders, including supporters, in order to provide a safe, secure and welcoming environment at football matches and other sports events.
On 15 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis participated via video conference in the launch of the Canadian-drafted “Declaration Against the Use of Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations".
The Foreign Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, on the occasion of the Day of Solidarity with Belarus, express their support for the people of Belarus.
On 29 January, Lithuania completed all the necessary procedures and became a full-fledged member of the Three Seas Initiative Investment Fund (3SIIF). The Government has authorised a state-owned national promotional institution - the Public Investment Development Agency (VIPA) - to represent the state of Lithuania in it.
On 29 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis together with his Ukrainian and Polish counterparts Dmytro Kuleba and Zbigniew Rau participated in the second Lublin Triangle ministerial meeting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held remotely.
On 29 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis together with his Ukrainian and Polish counterparts Dmytro Kuleba and Zbigniew Rau will participate in a video conference in the Lublin Triangle format.
On 27 January in Paris, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis met with the OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría.
The Ministers for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Mr Edgars Rinkevics, Lithuania, Mr Gabrielius Landsbergis and the Estonian deputy minister for European Affairs, Mr Märt Volmer, met in Paris on 26 January 2021 at the invitation of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Jean-Yves Le Drian. This first meeting this format was held on the centenary of the de jure recognition of Baltic States by France, while the four countries will celebrate this year the 30th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic relations between France and the Baltic States.
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