UK's Liz Truss to show support for Baltic allies in Lithuania

Foreign secretary will meet ministers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as well as British troops

British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss speaks during a session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Reuters

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British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will meet counterparts from the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania as part of the UK’s effort to demonstrate support for eastern Nato allies.

The meeting in Lithuania is part of the diplomatic response to the Ukraine crisis.

Ms Truss will use a speech alongside her fellow ministers to set out the UK’s support for Ukraine and demonstrate the unity of Nato.

“The United Kingdom stands with our allies in doing all we can to support Ukraine against President Putin’s war of choice,” she is scheduled to say.

“Together with our Baltic allies, we are reinforcing Nato’s eastern flank. We are stepping up to support Ukraine economically and defensively, while also providing emergency humanitarian aid.

“By continuing to respond with strength, united with our allies, we will ensure President Putin’s ambitions end in failure.”

Ms Truss will hold talks with Estonian foreign minister Eva-Maria Liimets, Latvia’s Edgars Rinkevics and Lithuania’s Gabrielius Landsbergis.

She will also meet UK military personnel from the Army Air Corps and 18 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who are currently deployed in Lithuania as part of a US-led exercise.

In other diplomatic efforts, Sports Secretary Nadine Dorries will join a virtual conference on Thursday with international counterparts to discuss banning Russian teams and individual athletes from international competition.

Along with ministers from the US, Australia, Germany and Poland, they will also discuss barring Russia and its ally Belarus from hosting any international sporting events.