Lithuanian envoy speaks at second edition Diplomat’s Perch lecture series

The second edition of Shiv Nadar University’s talk series ‘From the Diplomat’s Perch’, saw Lithuanian envoy Diana Mickeviciene speak on the Lithuanian perspective of the evolving security situation in Europe.

During her lecture, Mickeviciene provided a unique perspective into Eastern European narratives regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the perspectives on Russian presence. Terming Russia’s action as ‘neocolonial aggression’, the envoy said that the Russian Federation's actions and foreign policy objectives were tantamount to a new “neocolonial reality.”

Mickeviciene, a career diplomat who describes herself as an Indophile, said that 2024 marks the third decade of her arrival to the subcontinent. The envoy had earlier held the position of ambassador to China (which was prematurely cut short due to increasing tensions with Beijing). 

Delving into historical examples, the ambassador highlighted how Lithuania was first occupied in the 18th century by Imperial Russia for approximately 150 years, which was followed by the second round of occupation by the Soviets by virtue of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. This was followed by Nazi occupation and then again by Soviets. “We designate the USSR as another ‘empire’. The Russians called the Lithuanian “occupation” as liberation, but we don’t agree. One occupation by Nazis was followed by another occupation by the Soviets,” she said. 

Elaborated on the influence of Gandhian philosophy on Lithuania, Mickeviciene said that the ‘Singing Revolution’ of the Baltic states from 1987 to 1991 played a crucial role in creating nationalities and identities of the region.

Answering a query from Dr. Jabin Jacob on Russia’s disinformation campaign in Lithuania, Mickeviciene said, “Disinformation is a hot topic, and the government is conducting comparative studies on it. For instance, Russia’s disinformation campaigns are very nuanced in Lithuania, while Chinese campaigns are more overt, whereas the opposite is true for the UK. Though Lithuanians are ‘vaccinated’ against Soviet propaganda, vaccinations have an expiry date with the new populations being more prone to Russian propaganda.”

Another question from Dr Atul Mishra, Head of Department, International Relations and Governance Studies, on how Lithuania was tackling the Kaliningrad issue, the envoy said, “I am surprised by the unanimous evaluation of the war as an unprovoked, unjustified act of aggression by one country into another country. It is disappointing that India was following Hungary’s stance and was upset when a recent ORF session called Russian actions as crossing over the border.”