On 28 July, Foreign Ministers of Poland – Jacek Czaputowicz, Lithuania – Linas Linkevičius, and Ukraine – Dmytro Kuleba held in Lublin trilateral talks on cooperation within the EU and NATO as well as challenges posed by Russia’s activity in the region.
The ministers adopted a joint declaration in which they pointed to the benefits of strengthening political, economic, scientific, and cultural ties between Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine. They also stressed the importance of parliamentary as well as security cooperation and highlighted the significance of people-to-people contacts and civil society. During the meeting, the Lublin Triangle was established – a permanent platform of trilateral cooperation, devised to hold regular meetings of foreign ministers, MFA officials, and representatives of other Polish, Lithuanian, and Ukrainian institutions.
The ministers laid a wreath at the monument to the Union of Lublin and visited the headquarters of the LITPOLUKRBIRG multinational brigade. Minister Jacek Czaputowicz underlined that the joint military unit’s training activities undertaken to date are a good example of successful military cooperation between NATO and associated states as regards building military security in Europe. The brigade’s joint actions help strengthen the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian army and are an important contribution to building Ukraine’s defense system in the context of Russia’s military aggression in the east and south of Ukraine.
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LITPOLUKRBRIG is a multinational unit with capabilities of a general military brigade, designed for conducting independent military operations in accordance with international law or participating in such actions. It is composed of the three countries’ special military units selected from the 21st Podhale Rifleman Brigade (PL), the 80th Airborne Assault Brigade (UA), and the Grand Duchess Birute Uhlan Battalion (LT).
Since 2016, LITPOLUKRBRIG has been an important element of NATO actions aimed at implementing NATO standards in Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The brigade’s main activities include training Ukrainian officers and military units in these standards, planning and conducting operational tasks, and maintaining operational readiness.
MFA Press Office
Photo: Sebastian Indra / MFA
Joint Declaration
of Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Lithuania and Ukraine
on establishing Lublin Triangle
Lublin, 28 July 2020
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, Republic of Lithuania, and Ukraine recognize the multi-centennial historical and cultural links between their nations.
They also recognize the benefits of creating even stronger political, economic, infrastructure, security, defense, and cultural links between their countries in the contemporary world.
They draw attention to the activities of Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine in the process of shaping the modern political, cultural, and social realities of Central Europe.
At the same time, they underline the strategic importance of intensified cooperation between the European Union, NATO, and Eastern Partnership countries and pay due attention to the functioning of the Three Seas Initiative.
They note with due attention common threats in the security area as well as in others, i. e. pandemic threats.
They underline the important role of dialog between the three countries in the parliamentary dimension, especially within the Parliamentary Assembly Poland-Lithuania-Ukraine.
They recognize the benefits of their trilateral cooperation in the security sphere, in particular the functioning of the Lithuanian-Polish-Ukrainian Brigade (LitPolUkrBrig).
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Taking into account the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, they commit to coordinating their activities in order to uphold international law, both through trilateral cooperation and within international organizations (NATO, European Union, United Nations, Council of Europe, OSCE).
They declare invariably their strong condemnation of the attempted annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation. They do not recognize it and will never do it. They also call upon Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
They reaffirm their unwavering support to Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders and call upon Russian Federation to stop its aggression against Ukraine, as well as its temporary occupation of Ukraine’s territories of Crimea and parts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.
They reiterate their firm support for the European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations of Ukraine and welcome its European choice.
They note with satisfaction granting of NATO Enhanced Opportunities Partner status to Ukraine. They support Ukraine’s aspirations to NATO membership. Providing Ukraine with the NATO Membership Action Plan should be the next step in this direction.
They recommit to deepening and broadening of Polish-Lithuanian-Ukrainian military-to-military cooperation, both through bilateral and trilateral activities, and by making full use of possibilities created by NATO.
They reaffirm the unwavering commitment to the development of the Eastern Partnership by broadening and deepening cooperation and proposing ambitious and strategic long-term goals.
They commit to providing mutual support in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
They envisage active actions aiming at promoting trade and investments, securing better access to regional infrastructure, and improving its quality by stepping up with ambitious projects promoting cohesion in the region.
They support the cooperation of Ukraine with the Three Seas Initiative, as well as cooperation within other regional formats.
They support the effective implementation of political-economic reforms in Ukraine, taking into account Polish and Lithuanian experiences and best practices worked out in cooperation with other European countries.
They commit to strengthening people-to-people contacts and civil society cooperation, including between scientists and experts.
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In order to ensure achieving the above-mentioned goals, the Ministers decide to create a trilateral platform for political economic and social cooperation between the Republic of Poland, the Republic of Lithuania, and Ukraine – Lublin Triangle.
The Ministers decided to organize their regular meetings, also in the margins of multilateral sessions, and with the participation of chosen partners.
They also decide to organize consultations of high-level MFA officials and establish liaison-officers within the Ministries of Foreign Affairs.
