LRT English Newsletter – June 14, 2023.
The NATO summit concluded on Wednesday evening after achieving in its joint declaration what one expert called “water”, ie nothing concrete. The communique included only vague promises to offer Ukraine membership once “conditions” are right, sounding to many like a bad repeat of the Bucharest summit in 2008.
Then, the alliance paved the way for Georgia and Ukraine to join NATO. Ish. The jury is still out on what pushed Putin onto a warpath – NATO failing to go all the way with a yes-but-no membership offer to Georgia and Ukraine, or trying to include the two countries in the alliance in the first place.
Crucially, Lithuania was left isolated during the summit talks, according to several sources. Washington and Berlin were allegedly pushing allies to tone down any talk of opening the gates to Ukraine at the summit in Vilnius. More on that – here.
ROCKSTAR ZELENSKY
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Vilnius like an eagerly awaited superstar. In what seemed like a candid moment, he seemed caught off-guard when thousands answered his “Glory to Ukraine” shout with a sweeping “Glory to Heroes” cry, leading him to glance around and say after a second’s pause: “like at home.” Whether it was a great showmanship from the former actor or a moment of genuine appreciation, we will leave it up to you to decide. More on his speeches – here and here.
SUMMIT WRAP-UP: UKRAINE
Besides the takeaways discussed above, a few more updates were coming from the G7 countries, as well as the European Union.
Although Zelensky said G7 pledges cannot replace NATO membership, he welcomed the support package announced on the summit’s sidelines. Meanwhile, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said “the speed at which Ukraine is advancing in the EU membership [...] was amazing”.
SUMMIT WRAP-UP: GERMAN BRIGADE
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced that Berlin will work on a roadmap for how and when the country’s brigade could be stationed in Lithuania. The plan is due to be prepared by the last quarter of the year, but Lithuania expects it sooner, with Pistorius’ Lithuanian counterpart Arvydas Anušauskas saying it should be ready in September.
SUMMIT WRAP-UP: LITHUANIA
POTUS spoke in Vilnius Old Town, where thousands lined up for hours for a chance to glance at Joe Biden. Key outtakes (that are sure to strike a chord with most Lithuanians):
– "The Baltic Way, not the Berlin Wall, became the symbol for Europe’s future."
– "We've witnessed your historic journey, and I'm proud to call Lithuania a friend, partner, and ally."
– "Throughout this horrific war, the people of Lithuania have been among the fiercest champions of Ukraine's right to a future of its own choosing, one that is free."
– "So my message to all of you tonight is keep it up. Keep it going. Keep reminding the world of the hope that Lithuania embodies."
Meanwhile, security may have been breached after all, after a hacker group released information surrounding the summit. However, authorities are still investigating whether what they published were classified files, or merely material gathered using publicly available sources. In any case, the alleged attack follows earlier DDoS attacks, which temporarily took down Lithuania's major news websites and agencies, as well as a music streaming service.
NATO also approved the regional defence plans for the Baltic states on the eve of the summit. On the sidelines of the event, Canada also opened its embassy in Vilnius.
EDITOR’S PICKS
– Call Russia PR campaign in Vilnius sparked outrage, leading to its cancellation just before the summit.
– There are a few reasons why Germany should be more like Lithuania, argues journalist Felix Wessel.
– As property prices in Lithuania’s main cities are going through the roof, small towns are becoming more attractive options to relocate. Didžiasalis is one such town that is experiencing a ‘renaissance’.
– Samuel Bak was only nine years old when he organised his first exhibition in Vilna Ghetto. He and his mother were among the few Jews who survived the Holocaust. However, Bak does not remember Vilnius with resentment and has gifted over 100 of his paintings to the city.
– Forgetting Vilnius for a moment, how did Riga prepare for its NATO summit 17 years ago? As Vilnius took to hiding old trolleybuses (we still can’t get over that), Latvia’s capital decided to spruce up its houses.
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Written by Benas Gerdžiūnas
Edited by Justinas Šuliokas
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