On 12 November 2024 the Foreign Ministry hosted a lecture-discussion organised by the Lithuanian Ambassadors’ Club on Links between Diplomacy and Intelligence in Interwar Lithuania, where historian Dr. Severinas Vaitiekus shared his insights.
According to the LAC President Ambassador Algimantas Rimkūnas, who moderated the discussion, diplomacy and intelligence have many similarities these days. Studies by various authors point out that one of the most important functions shared by diplomacy and intelligence is the gathering of information about foreign countries. It is not obvious when the information gathered is intelligence and when it is not. The most accurate conclusion is that intelligence and diplomacy interact and complement each other.
The speaker of the event, Dr. Severinas Vaitiekus, talked about the activities of Lithuanian diplomats and intelligence officers in two of the most important episodes of our country’s history between the two world wars – the regaining of Vilnius and the annexation of Klaipeda. The guest stressed that Lithuanian diplomats and intelligence officers worked very closely during that period. Sometimes diplomats had to perform purely intelligence functions themselves or assist their colleagues. In a very tense and fragile geopolitical situation, the aim of both services was to defend Lithuania’s constitutional order, the country’s territorial integrity and to eliminate threats to national security.
The hybrid event hosted by the Lithuanian Ambassadors’ Club was a great success, attracting over 50 attendees.