The first personal meeting of the heads of state of the Lublin Triangle testified to the unity of positions and approaches of Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland to the most pressing issues and key challenges in the region. Proof of this was the signing of a joint statement by the leaders of the three states, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
Speaking with the media following the trilateral meeting with President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda and President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda at the Syniohora state residence in the village of Huta, Ivano-Frankivsk region, Zelenskyy thanked his colleagues for accepting the invitation to visit Huta.
"This is our first personal meeting in the format of the Lublin Triangle. It testified to the unity of our positions, assessments, the unity of our approaches both to the most pressing issues for our countries and to the key challenges in our region. A joint statement signed following today's summit was a proof of such unity," the President of Ukraine said.
According to him, one of the most important topics of the talks was the ongoing migration crisis on the borders of the European Union and Belarus.
"Assessing it, we stand in solidarity with our Polish and Lithuanian partners. Due to the failure of any attempts to repeat the same scenario in Ukraine, we are actively strengthening our own border. At the same time, coordination of joint efforts and exchange of experience are important in this matter," the Head of State said.
Zelenskyy said that another element of this hybrid war is the escalation of the situation in the temporarily occupied territory and on the borders of Ukraine.
"I spoke in detail about our peace initiatives within the Trilateral Contact Group, the Minsk meeting, our readiness for dialogue and our efforts to organize a meeting of the Normandy Four countries. In difficult security conditions, solidarity and support are extremely important to us. I appreciate such support and assistance from Poland and Lithuania," the President of Ukraine said.
Touching the issue of security, the President of Ukraine said that today, there is an active cooperation between law enforcement agencies of the three countries. The trilateral military brigade – LITPOLUKRBRIG – is a vivid example of an effective regional format where Ukrainian troops develop skills according to NATO standards. Trilateral cooperation is also being established to combat misinformation.
"It is important that the joint statement records clear support for Ukraine's membership in the EU and NATO, the fight against Russian aggression. Today, we have coordinated steps to support our European and Euro-Atlantic integration for the next year, 2022," Zelenskyy said.
According to the President of Ukraine, the common task is to deter the threat from Russia and protect Europe from its aggressive policy.
"Today, Ukraine, Poland and Lithuania are at the forefront of this deterrence. We understand more than anyone else how urgent the need is to consolidate our joint efforts, how much unity is needed today. Ukraine, together with friends and partners, is actively working to unite the world community and allies around the ideas of security, peace and stability in Europe and around the world," Zelenskyy said, adding: "Together we are stronger."
Duda, for his part, confirmed that one of the main challenges for the three countries today is the migration crisis and the buildup of Russian troops near the borders of Ukraine and Poland.
"Our position as the presidents of the Lublin Triangle on this matter is very clear: Ukraine's security is a fundamental issue. We must not only stop a military attack on Ukraine, but we must do everything to prevent such an attack," the Polish president said.
According to Duda, the joint statement of the presidents clearly indicates the directions of future cooperation between the three countries.
"We express solidarity. We discussed these important topics. We say that we have a common history and common security," the Polish leader said.
Nausėda said that Lithuania consistently supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders. He expressed support for Ukraine in the fight against aggression and provision of assistance in the path to NATO membership.
"We see that by its actions Russia is trying to put pressure on Ukraine… No one has the right to veto and influence the decisions and choices of an independent state. We have a very simple and clear signal – the consequences will be very severe for Russia. And all attempts to draw a new "red line" will be unacceptable in the XXI century in Europe," Nausėda said.
The President of Lithuania also said that Nord Stream 2 is primarily a geopolitical project that continues to threaten Europe's energy security.
"I would like to express my gratitude once again to President Zelenskyy and President Duda for today's meeting and for the fact that there is a strategic partnership between our countries, that it has become stronger and more viable. Such trilateral meetings show the unity and determination of our countries in this region," the President of Lithuania said.
