The Minister noted that NATO was the embodiment of transatlantic relations. According to Minister V.Ušackas, NATO is the commitment undertaken by its 28 member states to defend each other and our common values: independence, the freedom of an individual and the rule of law. The Minister said that Article 5 was the basis of the organisation and it should remain the cornerstone of NATO in the future.

“NATO must comply with the spirit of the 21st century, the organisation has to be rational and to satisfy the interests of citizens. People should understand why our troops are participating in the operation in Afghanistan or elsewhere, and how their participation guarantees our security,” Minister V.Ušackas said.

According to the Minister, Lithuania speaks up for the open door policy of the organization and for the continuity of NATO enlargement. NATO should remain open to western countries, such as Finland or Sweden, to the eastern countries like Ukraine or Georgia, as well as to the Balkan countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and other countries.

“NATO’s door should remain open for our allies that have shown great interest in the alliance and are cooperating closely with us,” the Minister said.

In his lecture, Minister V.Ušackas also mentioned that the new NATO Strategic Concept should take into consideration the new treats: cyber-attacks, energy security, terrorism, piracy, and so forth. The Minister emphasized the importance of cooperation with NATO’s partner countries: Sweden, Finland, Russia and others. According to him, Russia is a very important NATO’s partner and we have many common interests, but Russia should not be singled out or put above the other partners. The Minister also noted that Russia had to implement its international commitments when aiming at closer cooperation with NATO.

The Minister and the officers discussed the new NATO Strategic Concept, Minister V.Ušackas answered their questions.