Security policy experts attend Snow Meeting in Lithuania

Snow Meeting, an informal gathering of Lithuanian and foreign security policy experts and high-profile diplomats, started on Thursday in Lithuanian resort Trakai.

The traditional annual informal meeting of security policy experts is held for the 10th time. This year the event is to gather around 90 security experts, high-profile politicians and diplomats from more than 20 countries, according to the Lithuanian foreign ministry.

Among guests are the NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller and US Army General Philip Mark Breedlove, former supreme commander of NATO and U.S. forces in Europe.

They are to discuss security challenges that transatlantic cooperation countries have been facing recently as well as the latest decisions made at the NATO Warsaw summit last summer on strengthening defense capabilities at NATO's Eastern Flank, according to the Lithuanian foreign ministry.

According to the country's defense ministry, "the situation after the U.S. presidential election" will also be discussed.

Traditionally, discussions at the Snow Meeting are held behind closed doors.

The meeting took place amid heightened security tensions in the region.

Lithuania and other Baltic states have found themselves under increased threat, since conflicts in the Eastern Ukraine emerged in 2014.

Lithuania has since then increased defense spending, reintroduced military conscription, asked for an increased allied military presence in the region and stepped up military drills. Endit