On 16 May, the head of the Lithuanian diplomacy, Gabrielius Landsbergis, on an official visit to Japan, met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.
This week’s G7 summit in Hiroshima will include Lithuania’s and other countries’ experiences in dealing with China’s economic and political pressure.
On the eve of the meeting, Landsbergis agreed with the Foreign Minister of Japan presiding over the G7 that it was important for countries that have experienced pressure from China to share their experiences and seek a unified response to the behaviour that violates international norms.
Ministers also discussed another priority for the G7 meeting – the need to strengthen long-term support for Ukraine’s victory and stepping up of sanctions against Russia.
“We are grateful to Japan for its principled stance against Russia. We need to continue to tighten sanctions against Russia – we appreciate Japan’s strong leadership in the G7. We must not tire in our support for Ukraine – we must provide comprehensive support until Ukraine wins”, said Landsbergis.
The Ministers also discussed the priorities of the NATO Summit to be held in Vilnius. Foreign Minister Landsbergis said that long-term support for Ukraine must be secured and that the Vilnius Summit should set the roadmap for Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration, which is the only way to ensure lasting peace in Europe.
“We look forward to welcoming Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Lithuania to further strengthen and expand our countries’ strategic partnership in areas such as energy security and cooperation in tackling cyber threats,” said the head of the Lithuanian diplomacy. During the meeting, Landsbergis also invited Minister Hayashi to visit Vilnius.
The Lithuanian Foreign Minister stressed that Lithuania and Japan were like-minded countries, brought together by shared values, respect for the rules-based order, human rights, and aspirations to preserve peace and security in the region and the world.
“As the geopolitical reality changes, it is vital that the political partnership is complemented by economic cooperation between reliable partners, opening new markets and seeking mutual investments,” Landsbergis said.
