Minister M. Katelynas Met with Turkish Ambassador E. Toplu
Minister of the Interior Martynas Katelynas met with the Ambassador of Türkiye to Lithuania, Esra Toplu. The meeting focused on key aspects of bilateral cooperation, priorities in the field of home affairs, and shared security challenges.
Lithuania highly values its partnership with Türkiye. As NATO Allies, both countries are committed to strengthening Euro-Atlantic security, enhancing resilience to hybrid threats, and improving institutional preparedness to respond to crises.
“Cooperation between Lithuania and Türkiye has always been built on mutual trust and practical results. We are grateful to Türkiye for its support when Lithuania faced the Belarusian regime’s orchestrated irregular migration crisis. In turn, Lithuania was quick to provide assistance to Türkiye following the devastating earthquakes. This kind of partnership provides a strong foundation for even closer cooperation in the future,” said Minister M. Katelynas.
During the meeting, the Minister of the Interior presented the key priorities of Lithuania’s Twenty-First Government in the field of home affairs. These include strengthening the protection of the external border with Belarus, ensuring effective migration management, combating migrant smuggling, increasing the country’s resilience to hybrid threats, reinforcing statutory services, and further developing the civil protection system.
Addressing the migration situation, Minister M. Katelynas stressed that the instrumentalization of migration by Belarus remains one of the most significant security challenges facing the region. Lithuania therefore continues to invest in advanced border surveillance systems, border infrastructure, and close cooperation with neighboring countries and international partners.
The discussion also covered emerging airspace security challenges, including threats posed by drones and balloons used for smuggling contraband. The Minister of the Interior emphasized the need to strengthen the technological capabilities of Lithuania’s internal security services and to deepen cooperation with European Union partners in order to better protect the EU’s external border and critical infrastructure.
The meeting also included a discussion on continued support for Ukraine. As Ukraine’s security is inseparable from the security of Lithuania and Europe as a whole, the Ministry of the Interior will continue to work closely with Ukrainian institutions in the areas of civil protection, border management, crisis management, and internal security.
Last updated: 29-07-2026
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