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The Institute of World Policy hosted a media club with Linas Linkevicius, Lithuania’s Ambassador-at-Large, on Tuesday, November 29. Mr. Linkevicius was also a Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the North Atlantic Council (2005 – 2011), former Minister of National Defense (2000 – 2004).Ambassador Linkevicius commented on a wide range of issues related to the relations between Ukraine and Lithuania within the context of European integration, as well as on the state of affairs in NATO.
According to Ambassador Linkevicius, Lithuania will support Ukraine, regardless of the aftermath of the Ukraine-EU summit on December 19. In particular, the visit of the Ukrainian president to Vilnius is expected next year. “We sense our common roots and mutual understanding, and we can explain this to the other member of the club which you still have no access to. This is our sense of a deep-rooted commitment. That is why we are waiting for you; Ukraine belongs to Europe,” Ambassador Linkevicius said.
The Ambassador also gave an early preview of the NATO summit to take place in Chicago next May. Its main issues will include the future assistance to Afghanistan after 2014 troops withdrawal, the situation in the Middle East, progress in missile defense and the emergent capacities of NATO within a New Strategic Concept.
Ambassador Linkeviceus also explained that Russia has the most intensive cooperation with NATO and Georgia may not need a Membership Action Plan even, provided it is not obtained in Chicago. As he remarked, Lithuania never had it in the course of its integration. “MAP is a tool which could have been useful, if Georgia has not had any other ways to integrate with NATO. Now the nation is fulfilling its obligations, the Alliance points out the weaknesses. Is this happening? Yes it is,” explained Linas Linkevicius.
The Ambassador also shared his view on the benefits of NATO membership and the need to inform Ukrainians better about them.
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Alyona Getmanchuk, Director of the IWP
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Linas Linkevichius
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Kateryna Zarembo, Deputy Director of the IWP
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Ilona Yarmolyuk, journalist
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Marek Shafin, Embassy of the Slovak Republic
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Roman Horbyk, the analist of the IWP
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Denys Rafalskiy, KyivPost

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Linas Linkevichius