“Economic pressure can be used as a hybrid attack. Therefore, we must be ready to deter these threats early enough and resist this growing danger, which poses a threat not only to the economic order, but also to the nature of international relations,” G. Landsbergis told reporters after the conference in Vilnius began.
He emphasized that Lithuania has been facing such pressure from Russia for a long time, in recent years, he noted, China has also contributed to the pressure.
“When economic power is combined with an authoritarian regime, the potential for violence and conflict increases. Diplomatic decisions become more difficult to implement, and escalation is more likely,” the minister said.
Jose W. Fernandez, Deputy Secretary of State of the United States, also supported G. Lansbergi’s visit to Lithuania.
“States must and must resist economic coercion. The US will help them, they are not alone. China may try to influence, but we are united and will resist this economic coercion,” said JWFernandez.
ELTA reminds that a two-day international conference to discuss resistance to economic coercion began in Vilnius on Monday.
On the first day of the conference “Building a resilient economy and resisting economic coercion”, international policy makers, representatives of business and academic communities will discuss the increasing use of economic coercion and the need to strengthen international cooperation.
As reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which organizes the conference, the event will be attended by the Head of Lithuanian Diplomacy Gabrielius Landsbergis, Chairman of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs Žygimantas Pavilionis, representatives of the European Union (EU), the United States, Japan, Australia and other countries.
The second day of the event will be dedicated to experts from EU institutions, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and national administrations. They will discuss foreign and security policy recommendations on combating economic coercion.
