Deputy Secretary of State Biegun’s Meetings in Vilnius, Lithuania

Office of the Spokesperson

During his August 24 visit to Vilnius, Lithuania, Deputy Secretary of State Stephen E. Biegun met with  Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius, Defense Minister  Raimundas Karoblis, and other officials to discuss the situation in Belarus, countering threats posed by Russia and the People’s Republic of China, and the promotion of human rights and democracy. The Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the long-standing U.S.-Lithuania friendship and our nations’ shared commitment to security, economic, and global interests.   The Deputy Secretary also met with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to discuss the situation in Belarus and how civil society can strengthen democracy and human rights in the country. The Deputy Secretary affirmed the U.S. commitment to Belarus’ sovereignty and territorial integrity and to the sovereign right of its people to elect their own leaders and determine their own future.