By Kathy Zhang C’17
On April 8, Žygimantas Pavilionis, the Lithuanian Ambassador to the United States, spoke with Penn Law professor William Burke-White of Penn Law at a “fireside chat,” the second of a series of conversations with ambassadors and international dignitaries.
The evening’s program was sponsored by the Office of International Programs, the Perry World House, the Journal of International Law, the Eastern European Law Students Association, and the Department of Slavic Languages and Literature.
The discussion centered upon Eastern Europe’s present role in the EU and, in particular, the power dynamic and tensions between Russia, the West, and the rest of Europe. Pavilionis, who most recently served as chief coordinator for Lithuania’s presidency of the Community of Democracies as well as for the Transatlantic Cooperation and Security Policy Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, played a key role in Lithuania’s integration into NATO and the EU following Lithuania’s independence in 1990.
Burke-White’s extensive experience includes serving on the Secretary of State’s Policy Planning Staff from 2009–2011, where he advised on a range of issues spanning Eastern Europe, the Baltics, and the Russian Federation.
“Lithuania is a country that I will simply say I love,” said Burke-White, who is also Richard Perry Professor and Inaugural Director of the Perry World House. “But it’s also a country that today finds itself at the very heart of the biggest challenges in Europe. This is a chance for us to really think about the region and Lithuania’s role in the region.”
Pavilionis noted Lithuania’s accomplishments since achieving independence from Soviet rule in 1990. “We did it all in twenty-five years. We joined the European Union…NATO…we were the president of the Council of the European Union in 2013, and in two weeks we start our last presidency of the Security Council of the U.N.,” he said. “For a country that was a captive nation, these are big steps.”
Despite these positive steps forward for Lithuania, Pavilionis voiced his concerns over the democratic state in Europe as a whole and, in particular, how Russia’s actions have affected international affairs.
“We started the twenty-first century with some kind of accommodation [to Russia],” said Pavilionis. “In 2000 when one of the KGB was elected president, he started killing democracy. What was the response of the West? Nothing.”
Pavilionis went on to discuss the string of diplomatic crises he believed were a result of the West’s policy of accommodation. “It took two months for NATO to forget what Russia did in Georgia in 2008,” he said. “One year ago it was Crimea. This year it’s Eastern Ukraine. So we’re just asking, who’s next?”
In spite of these setbacks, however, Pavilionis still has great faith in the West to preserve freedom and rule of law around the world. He emphasized the need to first “reinstate confidence” in Western diplomacy.
“We take freedom for granted,” said Pavilionis. “We forget that we have to fight for freedom every day. Democracies have to help each other stay democracies.”
Tweets from this event:
Debating Europe whole&free at @PennLaw in Philly where LT Honorary Consul @kristabard is leading all Consular Corps pic.twitter.com/Pc5qSmEgAe
— ŽygimantasPavilionis (@ZygisPavilionis) April 9, 2015
“This place [Philadelphia] is a hometown for Lithuanians because this was the place where we started to emigrate” - Ambassador Pavilionis
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
Today is the 25th anniversary of Lithuania’s independence. Ambassador Pavilionis speaks on all Lithuania’s achievements in this short time.
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
“We did it all [in twenty-five year]…We joined the European Union, NATO…” Ambassador Pavilionis
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
Ambassador Pavilionis speaks out against the “West’s accommodation of Russia” #FiresideChat @PennLaw
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
Lithuania’s ambassador calls for vigorous political and military response to Ukraine, noting Us failures to check Putin. @PennLaw
— William Burke-White (@wburkewh) April 8, 2015
“We started the 21st century with [a policy of] accommodation” - Ambassador Pavilionis #FiresideChat @PennLaw
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
[Re: 2008 Russo-Georgian crisis] “It took NATO two months to forget what Russia did in Georgia.” - Ambassador Pavilionis
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
““One year ago it was Crimea. This year it’s Eastern Ukraine. We wonder who’s next?” - Ambassador Pavilionis
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
“My sad conclusion is…the only thing we learn from history is that we don’t learn from history.” - Ambassador Pavilionis #FiresideChat
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
Lithuanian ambassador warns of Russian aggression, analogizing to WWII accommodations. @perryworldhouse @PennLaw pic.twitter.com/kIXe5EFe4y
— William Burke-White (@wburkewh) April 8, 2015
“Democracies have to help each other stay democracies…We take freedom for granted. We forget that we have to fight for freedom every day.”
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
“It’s a hidden war. It’s happening now. It’ll never be announced, but it’s happening now.” - Ambassador Pavilionis #FiresideChat
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015
“Instead of reacting always, you have to be proactive.” Ambassador Pavilionis #FiresideChat @PennLaw
— Kathy Zhang (@kathyzwrites) April 8, 2015