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Roundup: Lithuania assured of U.S. military, economic and energy support

Xinhua, April 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

A group of members from the U.S. House Armed Services Committee met on Thursday with Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite and pledged support to the Baltic country.

William McClellan Thornberry, the Chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, and four other members of the Committee came to Vilnius to meet the President.

According to the President's Office, Grybauskaite and the congressman-led delegation discussed military, economic and energy cooperation between Lithuania and the U. S., the current security situation in Europe and in Ukraine.

Jovita Neliupsiene, Chief Adviser to the president, told journalists that information, cyber and energy security issues were also discussed with the delegation.

Grybauskaite emphasized strong relationships and intensive cooperation between the both countries.

"The President underlined that the United States was a reliable partner of Lithuania," Neliupsiene quoted the President as saying after the meeting.

Grybauskaite said that the U.S. was the first country to strengthen the Baltic Air Policing mission after geopolitical situation in the region changed and sent its troops to attend joint military exercises in Lithuania.

Among other issues Grybauskaite stressed the importance of the free trade agreement between the European Union and the U.S which is "a significant step towards stronger transatlantic economic relations and new opportunities for European and U.S. businesses", according to the press release from the President's Office.

SECURITY CONCERNS

With the trip to Vilnius the U.S. House Armed Services Committee delegation finished its regional tour of Romania, Ukraine, Latvia and Poland. The visits throughout the Eastern European countries were concentrated on security tensions in the region.

The congressman also pledged the U.S. support in strengthening Lithuania's defense and increasing its military presence.

"We will see more exercises, more engagement. Not only from the U.S. side but from all NATO allies. That's how it should be," the congressmen was quoted by delfi.lt.

During the press conference, the Chairman didn't rule out the possibility to provide Ukraine with lethal weaponry. According to Thornberry, the vast majority of the Congress is behind the initiative.

The visit of the U.S. House committee follows the tour of the U.S. army rotation forces ten days ago in Lithuania. Endit