VILNIUS, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Monday highlighted the strategic importance of the Via Baltica motorway for military mobility as they inaugurated an upgraded 12-kilometer section near the Polish border.
"As we sat here, trucks passed every 10 seconds, some carrying military equipment," Nauseda said at the ceremony, adding that this shows how crucial this route is for military mobility.
Responding to reporters, Nauseda said the Via Baltica is a vital artery for the movement of people, goods, and defense forces, underscoring its role in securing the Suwalki corridor, a narrow stretch linking the Baltic states with the rest of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Baltic News Service (BNS) reported.
Nawrocki echoed the point, saying the upgraded road "will allow us to respond quickly to potential military and defense threats" and stressed that Poland, along with Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, bears "a special responsibility for security in the Baltic Sea region."
He added that strengthening solidarity and cooperation among NATO's eastern flank nations remains a shared priority for Poland and Lithuania.
Via Baltica stretches 970 km from Warsaw to Tallinn, including 269 km in Lithuania. Enditem
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