Linas Linkevičius

Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012 – 2020), Lithuania

Warsaw Security Forum

Linas Linkevičius, born into an engineer and teacher family, spent his childhood and school years in Kaunas. He graduated from the Kaunas 7th Secondary School with a gold medal in 1978 and went on to study electrical engineering at the Faculty of Automation of Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1983. During the 1980s, he served as secretary of the local Lithuanian Komsomol district in Panemunė.

In December 2012, Linkevičius became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. During his tenure, he focused on strengthening Lithuania's position in international and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. He built strong personal relationships with influential leaders like Laurent Fabius, Angela Merkel, and Shimon Peres, and invited Peres to be an advisor to the Jewish Memorial Center project in Vilnius. Linkevičius has been an advocate for international collaboration in various fields, including science, sports, and the arts, aiming to enhance Lithuania's global standing and image. He visited Saudi Arabia in 2015, meeting with King Salman and expressing the expectation of improving bilateral relations. He expressed deep concern over the escalation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and called for an immediate halt to fighting, urging Armenia and Azerbaijan to work towards a peaceful resolution.

In March 2018, Linkevičius, along with leaders of Latvia and Estonia, expressed support for Poland in the context of the Article 7 proceedings in the European Court of Justice. He reaffirmed Lithuania's opposition to sanctions against Poland, highlighting the complexity of the dialogue but expressing optimism about a positive outcome. Throughout his career, Linas Linkevičius has worked to strengthen Lithuania's international relationships and promote peace and cooperation in various regions.

Linas Linkevičius

Minister of Foreign Affairs (2012 – 2020), Lithuania

Warsaw Security Forum

Linas Linkevičius, born into an engineer and teacher family, spent his childhood and school years in Kaunas. He graduated from the Kaunas 7th Secondary School with a gold medal in 1978 and went on to study electrical engineering at the Faculty of Automation of Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1983. During the 1980s, he served as secretary of the local Lithuanian Komsomol district in Panemunė.

In December 2012, Linkevičius became the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania. During his tenure, he focused on strengthening Lithuania's position in international and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. He built strong personal relationships with influential leaders like Laurent Fabius, Angela Merkel, and Shimon Peres, and invited Peres to be an advisor to the Jewish Memorial Center project in Vilnius. Linkevičius has been an advocate for international collaboration in various fields, including science, sports, and the arts, aiming to enhance Lithuania's global standing and image. He visited Saudi Arabia in 2015, meeting with King Salman and expressing the expectation of improving bilateral relations. He expressed deep concern over the escalation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and called for an immediate halt to fighting, urging Armenia and Azerbaijan to work towards a peaceful resolution.

In March 2018, Linkevičius, along with leaders of Latvia and Estonia, expressed support for Poland in the context of the Article 7 proceedings in the European Court of Justice. He reaffirmed Lithuania's opposition to sanctions against Poland, highlighting the complexity of the dialogue but expressing optimism about a positive outcome. Throughout his career, Linas Linkevičius has worked to strengthen Lithuania's international relationships and promote peace and cooperation in various regions.