Preparations for the NATO summit and the situation in the areas bordering Belarus – these are any of the topics raised by the defence ministers of Poland and Lithuania during the Vilnius meeting. Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz besides reported that Poland has prepared another support package for Ukraine – it is equipment and ammunition with a full value of EUR 100 million.
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamish stayed in Lithuania. The intent of the visit was to meet with the defence minister of this country, Laurinas Kasčiūnas. The political talks afraid the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, supporting the fighting Ukraine, as well as the situation in areas bordering Belarus.
The head of the Polish Defence Ministry pointed out that a hybrid war is taking place on the Polish-Belarusian border, as in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. However, he pointed out that the most hard situation in Poland, as evidenced by The death of a Polish soldier serving at the border. – The Polish state will not remainder until we find the culprit. The Polish State, together with its allies, will do everything possible to better defend the east border of the European Union and NATO," he said. Deputy Prime Minister recalled that a task is to be created in the border area “The Tartar East”, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will jointly establish a Baltic defence line. Laurynas Kasčiūnas announced that permanent opposition points would be built in areas bordering Belarus, among others. The head of the Lithuanian Defence Ministry did not regulation out the usage of equipment for distant land mines. The aim of both projects is to make specified reinforcements or natural obstacles, which will make it hard for the opponent to attack the border. Kosiniak-Kamysz stressed that these actions are intended to strengthen not only national borders, but will besides defend the east borders of the European Union and NATO. “Therefore, Poland and Lithuania anticipate the European Union’s financial commitment to border protection, the construction of the “Tarchy East” and the Lithuanian line and the Baltic defence line”, he explained.
Defence ministers besides discussed forms of support for Kiev. As Kosiniak-Kamysz said, both Poland and Lithuania support the state fighting against the Russian aggressor. – Whether to aid Ukraine is not the subject of any discussion, for Poland and Lithuania it is part of the safety plan and this plan is being implemented," he said. He besides informed that Poland had prepared another tranche of aid for Ukraine. It is both equipment and ammunition with a full value of EUR 100 million. “Poland will pass on this grant shortly enough,” he said.
Politicians talked about the NATO summit in Washington, D.C., scheduled for mid-July. Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz reported that Warsaw and Vilnius will pay attention to the request to fulfil NATO's regional plans, as well as to allocate a minimum of 2% of GDP to defence. Currently, respective members of the North Atlantic Pact do not meet this requirement. “Lithuania and Poland are the best examples of financial commitment to improving safety in Europe,” he said. He pointed out that the first of the countries spent 3% of GDP on defence and the second almost 4%.
Laurynas Kasčiūnas added that Poland and Lithuania share a common history, values but besides akin interests and imagination of the future. – Both the Polish “Tarcza East” and the defence line of Lithuania and all the Baltic States combined into 1 will become what effectively will deter possible aggressors," he said. He admitted that Poland's attitude in terms of defence and backing of modernization of the army deserves admiration. He assessed that "without free Lithuania there would be no free Poland, and without free Poland, free Lithuania".
The gathering between Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and Laurinas Kasčiūnas was held at the office of the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence. Prior to that, the heads of ministries visited the control post in Podwaraniec (near the border crossing point in Miedniki Rzeski), where fortification systems utilized by Lithuania to safe the border with Belarus were presented.
