And Lithuania announces that it supports Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte for the post of NATO Secretary General

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda met on Tuesday with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who is considered the favorite in the race to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as NATO Secretary General. Following their meeting in Vilnius, Nausėda confirmed Lithuania’s support for Rutte’s candidacy for the post of NATO Secretary General, reports LRT.lt

“We do this for several reasons. I have known Mark for many years, he was one of those politicians who recognized the Russian threat quite early […] and is particularly sensitive and understanding regarding threats to NATO’s eastern flank,” the Lithuanian president said at a press conference.

Nausėda also said that during the meeting, he heard Rutte’s concerns about NATO’s eastern flank and they discussed concrete measures to improve its defense. According to Rutte, Lithuania will be able to count on NATO in case of an attack.

“The borders of Lithuania are the borders of the EU and NATO. That also means our borders, so […] we will defend these borders,” he declared in Vilnius. “My message to the Lithuanian people is that you are not alone, you are members of NATO and the EU, and you can always count on our support, all of us.”

The Dutch Prime Minister stressed that the EU and NATO must work actively “to strengthen their military resistance in the face of the Russian military threat”.

Nausėda also said that Lithuania is negotiating with several countries for their participation in the rotational air defense system of the Baltic countries.