Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and First Lady Diana Nausėdienė met with Denmark’s King Frederik X and Queen Mary in Vilnius on Wednesday, focusing on defence cooperation, regional security and support for Ukraine, the presidential press service said.
The talks covered Lithuanian-Danish relations, cooperation within NATO and the European Union, and the broader security situation in the region.
Nausėda said Denmark has played a key role in Lithuania’s modern history, including its accession to NATO and the EU and the development of its armed forces.
“Denmark has made a significant contribution to Lithuania’s accession to the EU and NATO and to attracting substantial investment to Lithuania,” Nausėda was quoted in the statement.
He noted that Denmark was Lithuania’s first partner in international military operations and that Danish forces have provided extensive support in building the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The Danish Air Force regularly participates in NATO’s Baltic air policing mission and has deployed contingents to Lithuania’s Siauliai Air Base on several occasions, he said.
Nausėda described cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic states as a cornerstone of regional security, adding that Lithuania and Denmark share similar views on current geopolitical challenges, including countering threats posed by Russia and supporting Ukraine.
During the meeting, Nausėda also addressed Arctic security, amid increased international attention to Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. US President Donald Trump has indicated he wants to take over the control of the island from Denmark, causing a crisis in transatlantic relations.
President Nausėda, however, said Arctic security is an issue of transatlantic concern.
“Lithuania is ready to contribute to the efforts of Denmark and other NATO allies to strengthen security in the Arctic region,” Nausėda said, expressing solidarity with Denmark on the issue of Greenland. He emphasised that territorial integrity and sovereignty are fundamental principles of international law.
The president called for stronger NATO defence and deterrence measures in the Baltic Sea region, including the protection of critical underwater infrastructure, citing repeated incidents of damage to underwater cables linked to what he described as a “shadow fleet”. He also stressed the importance of maintaining NATO’s Eastern Sentry and Baltic Sentry missions.
Nausėda thanked Denmark for being one of the first countries to recognise Lithuania’s independence, on February 28, 1991, shortly after Iceland.
Later Wednesday, speaking at a state dinner in honour of the Danish royal couple, Nausėda highlighted the historical ties between Lithuania and Denmark through the Baltic Sea.
“Our countries, united by the Baltic Sea in the flow of history, today stand on an even firmer foundation – shared values and interests,” he said, according to remarks released by his office. He also thanked Denmark for its long-standing investments in Lithuania and its support for the country’s European integration and NATO membership.
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