Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė in Jerusalem on Monday.
“Lithuania and Israel have excellent relations, which are going to become even stronger, even better in your visit. And you’re indeed a welcome friend here in Jerusalem,” Netanyahu said during his counterpart’s visit to the Prime Minister’s Office.
“Thank you for receiving us here. Our relationship is special and we are two nations that had to fight for their rightful place in the world and we know how to cherish what we managed to achieve,” Šimonytė said.
The two leaders met privately and then held an expanded meeting with the director of the Israeli National Security Council, Netanyahu’s chief of staff and diplomatic adviser and the two countries’ ambassadors.
Among other issues, they discussed the Iranian threat, with Netanyahu warning that a nuclear-armed Tehran would threaten the stability of the region and pose a danger to the whole world, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
They also talked about cooperation between Jerusalem and Vilnius on artificial intelligence, cyber and innovation.
Šimonytė on Sunday addressed the American Jewish Committee‘s Global Forum 2023 taking place in Tel Aviv, saying that her country would continue to push for more E.U. sanctions against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“I want to reassure you we will continue pushing for more sanctions. But at the same time, we all know that Israel’s defensive systems remain the best antidote against Iranian weapons,” she said.
