Reflections at the Four-Year Mark of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Co-hosted by Kerry Secrest, Honorary Consul of Lithuania to Vermont, Windham World Affairs Council and Saxtons Distillery.

On the occasion of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Ambassador of the Republic of Lithuania to the United States, Gediminas Varvuolis will offer an inside view on Lithuania’s unwavering support for Ukraine and what it will take to achieve a durable peace in the region. He will offer his perspective on the evolving Baltic security landscape, including Lithuania’s model for burden-sharing, defense investment, and energy independence at a time when resilience is essential. His remarks will illuminate both the stakes for Europe and the lessons that resonate far beyond its borders.

Ambassador Varuolis’ talk comes at a time when Lithuania, along with other NATO member states that border Russia and its ally Belarus directly, is subject to an increasingly disruptive campaign of hybrid or low-intensity warfare carried out by those countries, stoking fears that Russia may one day invade them as well as Ukraine. The campaign consists of sabotage and acts such as releasing large quantities of weather balloons to drift across the country, forcing it to close its airspace and declare a state of emergency. Lithuania is especially vulnerable to potential Russian incursions because of the Suwalki Gap that runs along its border with Poland. This narrow, 40-mile long strip of land links Belarus to the Russian coastal territory of Kaliningrad and has been called the Achilles heel of NATO’s eastern flank because it could easily be seized by Russian forces.

Ambassador Varvuolis has built a distinguished diplomatic career spanning three decades, representing Lithuania across Europe, Asia, and now the United States. His leadership has shaped Lithuania’s role in global security and cooperation—from advancing NATO integration and crisis management early in his career to deepening transatlantic partnerships and steering major initiatives such as the Three Seas Initiative. Serving as ambassador in capitals from Paris and Brussels to Tokyo and Washington, he has consistently strengthened Lithuania’s voice on the world stage.

Note: 6-7:30 p.m. Immediately after the talk, siblings Kerry Secrest and Christian Stromberg (owner of Saxtons Distillery) are holding a solidarity cocktail hour and bonfire “Warmth in the Cold: An Evening for Ukraine” to raise money for winter care packages. More information is available on Facebook

The Windham World Affairs Council was founded in 1961 to bring the world to Windham County. It is the smallest of the World Affairs Councils of America and has an all-volunteer board. It hosts lectures, films, and other events on global topics, as well as a monthly Members’ Salon, where members and their guests gather informally to discuss topics of the day. For further information about future events, or if you would like to consider joining the board, visit https://windhamworldaffairscouncil.org/.

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