Statement by the Press Secretary on the Death of Former President Algirdas Brazauskas of the Republic of Lithuania

On behalf of the American people, President Obama sends his condolences to the people of Lithuania on the death of former Lithuanian President Algirdas Brazauskas.   President Brazauskas played a central role in the restoration of Lithuania’s independence with a deep commitment to the principles of democracy.  As president and later prime minister, Algirdas Brazauskas strengthened his country’s Euro-Atlantic security relationships with Lithuania’s accession to the NATO alliance and guided its integration into the European Union.  The relationship between the United States and Lithuania expanded and deepened under President Brazauskas’ leadership, founded upon shared interests and shared values.  The American people join the people of Lithuania and his family in mourning the loss of a great man who dedicated his life to his country, its freedom, and its security.