PRAGUE, Czech Republic — U.S. President Barack Obama met with the presidents of Estonia and Latvia and the prime minister of Lithuania along with other Eastern European leaders for a dinner discussion Thursday highlighting regional security.

The U.S. president was in Prague for a meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev to sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treat, or START, to reduce the nuclear arsenals of the two countries. Following the meeting, Obama met with 11 leaders from central and eastern European NATO member states to [private_supervisor]reassure them that the agreement with Russia, a long-standing goal of the Obama administration, did not constitute a lessening of the alliance’s security assurances.

“President Obama left the impression that he is very well aware of our regional problems and all the problems in the broader context,” Kubilius told the Baltic News Service after the meeting. Meanwhile Estonian President Ilves praised Obama’s securing of the nuclear arms reduction agreement, and Latvian President Zatlers stressed that the European Union and NATO should integrate more.

The White House said that the meeting shows that Obama does not treat Russia and eastern Europe as mutually exclusive.

“I think if you looked at where things are today in terms of European security and Russia generally, they have advanced since we’ve been in office,” Deputy White House National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said.

“And that the president can come here to Prague and sign a major arms control agreement with the Russian president and have dinner with 11 NATO allies that night underscores the fact that these relationships in no way come at the expense of the others,” Rhodes said.

Before the meeting Kubilius said that he saw the meeting with the leaders of the former Eastern Bloc as symbolic.

“This is an important meeting of symbolic meaning. I think that the U.S.’s goal is to show that they are seeking new forms of security and show their commitment to Central Europe is actually not decreasing. In Lithuania, we will continue to be one of the most sensitive aspect of regional security,” Kubilius said.

At the start of Obama’s reign, there had been consternation in the Baltics as to whether American support would remain as it had been under the former administration.

The halting of the anti-missile shield plans was seen by some as a tacit victory for Russia in its struggle for sway in the region.

Before the meeting, Lithuanian media had speculated why President Dalia Grybauskaitė had sent the Kubilius given that she was head of state. She said that the prime minister was an adequate representative of the country abroad, noting a prior commitment to hold bilateral talks with Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Vilnius Thursday afternoon and evening. Grybauskaitė and Kaczynski announced that the two countries, whose relations have been strained by ethnic minority issues, will work together to build a gas pipeline between the two countries. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]reassure them that the agreement with Russia, a long-standing goal of the Obama administration, did not constitute a lessening of the alliance’s security assurances.

“President Obama left the impression that he is very well aware of our regional problems and all the problems in the broader context,” Kubilius told the Baltic News Service after the meeting. Meanwhile Estonian President Ilves praised Obama’s securing of the nuclear arms reduction agreement, and Latvian President Zatlers stressed that the European Union and NATO should integrate more.

The White House said that the meeting shows that Obama does not treat Russia and eastern Europe as mutually exclusive.

“I think if you looked at where things are today in terms of European security and Russia generally, they have advanced since we’ve been in office,” Deputy White House National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said.

“And that the president can come here to Prague and sign a major arms control agreement with the Russian president and have dinner with 11 NATO allies that night underscores the fact that these relationships in no way come at the expense of the others,” Rhodes said.

Before the meeting Kubilius said that he saw the meeting with the leaders of the former Eastern Bloc as symbolic.

“This is an important meeting of symbolic meaning. I think that the U.S.’s goal is to show that they are seeking new forms of security and show their commitment to Central Europe is actually not decreasing. In Lithuania, we will continue to be one of the most sensitive aspect of regional security,” Kubilius said.

At the start of Obama’s reign, there had been consternation in the Baltics as to whether American support would remain as it had been under the former administration.

The halting of the anti-missile shield plans was seen by some as a tacit victory for Russia in its struggle for sway in the region.

Before the meeting, Lithuanian media had speculated why President Dalia Grybauskaitė had sent the Kubilius given that she was head of state. She said that the prime minister was an adequate representative of the country abroad, noting a prior commitment to hold bilateral talks with Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Vilnius Thursday afternoon and evening. Grybauskaitė and Kaczynski announced that the two countries, whose relations have been strained by ethnic minority issues, will work together to build a gas pipeline between the two countries. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]reassure them that the agreement with Russia, a long-standing goal of the Obama administration, did not constitute a lessening of the alliance’s security assurances.

“President Obama left the impression that he is very well aware of our regional problems and all the problems in the broader context,” Kubilius told the Baltic News Service after the meeting. Meanwhile Estonian President Ilves praised Obama’s securing of the nuclear arms reduction agreement, and Latvian President Zatlers stressed that the European Union and NATO should integrate more.

The White House said that the meeting shows that Obama does not treat Russia and eastern Europe as mutually exclusive.

“I think if you looked at where things are today in terms of European security and Russia generally, they have advanced since we’ve been in office,” Deputy White House National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said.

“And that the president can come here to Prague and sign a major arms control agreement with the Russian president and have dinner with 11 NATO allies that night underscores the fact that these relationships in no way come at the expense of the others,” Rhodes said.

Before the meeting Kubilius said that he saw the meeting with the leaders of the former Eastern Bloc as symbolic.

“This is an important meeting of symbolic meaning. I think that the U.S.’s goal is to show that they are seeking new forms of security and show their commitment to Central Europe is actually not decreasing. In Lithuania, we will continue to be one of the most sensitive aspect of regional security,” Kubilius said.

At the start of Obama’s reign, there had been consternation in the Baltics as to whether American support would remain as it had been under the former administration.

The halting of the anti-missile shield plans was seen by some as a tacit victory for Russia in its struggle for sway in the region.

Before the meeting, Lithuanian media had speculated why President Dalia Grybauskaitė had sent the Kubilius given that she was head of state. She said that the prime minister was an adequate representative of the country abroad, noting a prior commitment to hold bilateral talks with Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Vilnius Thursday afternoon and evening. Grybauskaitė and Kaczynski announced that the two countries, whose relations have been strained by ethnic minority issues, will work together to build a gas pipeline between the two countries. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]reassure them that the agreement with Russia, a long-standing goal of the Obama administration, did not constitute a lessening of the alliance’s security assurances.

“President Obama left the impression that he is very well aware of our regional problems and all the problems in the broader context,” Kubilius told the Baltic News Service after the meeting. Meanwhile Estonian President Ilves praised Obama’s securing of the nuclear arms reduction agreement, and Latvian President Zatlers stressed that the European Union and NATO should integrate more.

The White House said that the meeting shows that Obama does not treat Russia and eastern Europe as mutually exclusive.

“I think if you looked at where things are today in terms of European security and Russia generally, they have advanced since we’ve been in office,” Deputy White House National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes said.

“And that the president can come here to Prague and sign a major arms control agreement with the Russian president and have dinner with 11 NATO allies that night underscores the fact that these relationships in no way come at the expense of the others,” Rhodes said.

Before the meeting Kubilius said that he saw the meeting with the leaders of the former Eastern Bloc as symbolic.

“This is an important meeting of symbolic meaning. I think that the U.S.’s goal is to show that they are seeking new forms of security and show their commitment to Central Europe is actually not decreasing. In Lithuania, we will continue to be one of the most sensitive aspect of regional security,” Kubilius said.

At the start of Obama’s reign, there had been consternation in the Baltics as to whether American support would remain as it had been under the former administration.

The halting of the anti-missile shield plans was seen by some as a tacit victory for Russia in its struggle for sway in the region.

Before the meeting, Lithuanian media had speculated why President Dalia Grybauskaitė had sent the Kubilius given that she was head of state. She said that the prime minister was an adequate representative of the country abroad, noting a prior commitment to hold bilateral talks with Polish President Lech Kaczynski in Vilnius Thursday afternoon and evening. Grybauskaitė and Kaczynski announced that the two countries, whose relations have been strained by ethnic minority issues, will work together to build a gas pipeline between the two countries. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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