On his start of the working visit in Brussels, Prime Minister Gediminas Kirkilas met with Commander of the US European Command (USEUCOM) and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) for NATO and the Commanding Officer of Allied Command Operations (ACO) General Bantz John Craddock.

Gediminas Kirkilas said that NATO’s role in the Baltic region should not diminish in future. According to the Prime Minister, NATO air-policing mission strengthens security of the Baltic States and develops trust of the Lithuanian citizens in the North Atlantic Alliance.

General Craddock assured the Prime Minister that NATO is an organisation that swiftly and adequately responds to changes in the security agenda.

The meeting also discussed challenges to energy and cyber security, which has recently become topical to the new NATO member states. General Craddock agreed with the Prime Minister that those issues should be more actively discussed in NATO meetings.

The Prime Minister and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe have also touched upon NATO Membership Action Plans to Georgia and Ukraine as well as economic situation in Russia.