2020-07-28 18:59 update: 2020-07-29, 19:41
Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz. Phot. PAP/Wojtek Jargiło
Coming out of Tuesday talks with his Lithuanian and Ukrainian counterparts, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz announced the formation of the Lublin Triangle cooperation format.
Minister Czaputowicz, Lithuanian FM Linas Linkevicius and Ukraine's FM Dmytro Kuleba met in Lublin, eastern Poland.
"By introducing appropriate cooperation mechanisms, we will be able to achieve our goals - permanent commitment to the development of the Eastern Partnership, effective fight against the coronavirus pandemic, strong support for Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations, as well as the country's ties and cooperation with the Three Seas Initiative," said the Polish FM, adding that the parties also "intend to operate in economic fields."
Czaputowicz recalled that the parliaments of the three countries are already cooperating with each other, and there is also the Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian brigade, LITPOLUKRBRIG. "This international unit is an example of successful, long-term cooperation on NATO's eastern flank," added the minister.
Czaputowicz also said that the three FMs had agreed to hold regular meetings.
Referring to the fight against the coronavirus epidemic, Czaputowicz stressed that countries must cooperate with the hope that a second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic will not materialise and that radical steps, such as banning travel, will not be necessary.
Czaputowicz noted that "now there is a growing number of people saying that perhaps this (closing the borders - PAP) is not a good approach." "We live in a world of interdependence. We have to cooperate with the hope that such radical steps as preventing travel to our countries will not take place," said the minister. (PAP)
