Nordic, Baltic, Visegrad FMs meet on cooperation, security

Foreign ministers and diplomats from 12 Nordic, Baltic and Visegrad countries discussed cooperation, security issues and the Eastern Partnership at a meeting in Lithuania on Monday.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius told local media that the region's security situation is not improving, and hybrid threats and cyber challenges require enhanced security cooperation both regionally and internationally.

"So long as we are united, we are able to respond to challenges that go beyond borders and join our efforts to prevent them," said Linkevicius.

With regard to the Eastern Partnership policy which celebrates 10 years in 2019, the participants agreed on the need to maintain the European Union's focus on partner countries, especially the ones that had their association agreements signed, according to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.

Among other issues, ministers and diplomats from the 12 countries also discussed the upcoming European Parliament elections, Brexit, climate change as well as relations with Russia, Ukraine and China.

The meeting in Palanga, the sea resort in western Lithuania, was attended by ministers and diplomats from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary.

The annual meetings of 12 countries have been held alternately in one of these countries since 2013.