A Final Note From The NATO Summit In Vilnius, Lithuania…Most Distinctive Was The Calm, Lack Of Barriers, Hotel Excellence, And A Remark About A Chair Too Small…
A Final Note From Vilnius…..
The 159-room Novotel Vilnius Centre hotel on Gedimino Avenue in the city of Vilnius (population approximately 541,000), capital of the Republic of Lithuania (population approximately 2.6 million), hosted six of the thirty-one delegations to the Brussels, Belgium-based North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): Republic of Albania (Prime Minister Edi Rama), Republic of Bulgaria (Nikolai Denkov), Czech Republic (President Petr Pavel), Slovak Republic (President Klaus Werner Caputova), Republic of Slovenia (Prime Minister Robert Golob), and Republic of North Macedonia (Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski).
Each morning, afternoon, and evening, members of the delegations meeting in the first-floor lounge or second-floor restaurant to pre-brief and debrief their schedules. A kaleidoscope of languages.
The team at the Novotel Vilnius Centre was masterful in the management of the disparate delegations. For a hotel to accommodate the requirements of one country delegation is challenging- particularly with language, accommodation type, and security requirements. To accommodate six delegations is a self-defined crisis mode operation.
Joseph Biden, 46th President of the United States (2021- ), and his delegation were ensconced 500 meters down the street at the 93-room Grand Hotel Kempinski Vilnius managed by Geneva, Switzerland-based Kempinski AG. NOTE: There are properties in Vilnius managed by United States-based companies: Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriott International and Chicago, Illinois-based Hyatt Hotels Corporation. Traditionally, United States delegations use United States-based brands as a means of “showing the flag” and providing economic benefit to United States taxpayers.
The various agencies, departments, and ministries within the Lithuania responsible for coordinating security and traffic creatively crafted and implemented a plan that would provide the least inconvenience to citizens of Vilnius and visitors to Vilnius while ensuring the safety of the NATO delegations. The United States Secret Service (USSS) responsible for the protection of President Biden must surely have not been enamored with the decisions.
For example, while there was a security perimeter surrounding the hotel accommodating the United States delegation, there were no barricades along Gedimino Avenue- the primary route for most all of delegations to and from the Lithuanian Exhibition and Conference Center (LITEXPO). President Biden’s motorcade traversed Gedimino Avenue more than six times- and most people along the sidewalks on each side of the avenue barely paid notice. Perhaps, there was a lack of interest. Perhaps, a sense of politeness. Perhaps, how the citizens of Vilnius roll with whatever they encounter.
As the slowly moving (and quiet- no sirens) motorcade transporting President Biden traveled to and from the hotel, individuals standing on the sidewalk were within ten feet of The Beast vehicle carrying President Biden. Police officers were stationed approximately fifty yards apart on the route- no SWAT-type officers, no automatic long guns; wearing yellow vests to identify themselves. As the motorcade’s wheels rumbled along the cobblestone avenue there was a calming sound, tranquility. The was a sense that the visiting dignitaries were being humbled- rather than humbling themselves.
A touch of humor and some uncomfortable laughter… On 11 July 2023 at the NATO Public Forum when settling into the chair on stage provided for him, 6’7” Prime Minister Rama referenced that the size of the chair more appropriately proportioned for the 5’7” Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland) than it was for him.
At breakfast one morning, a head of delegation enjoying breakfast with his wife and son. Prior to departing for a NATO session, a kiss to his wife and a kiss to his son.
At breakfast one morning, a head of delegation at the second-floor buffet finishing his breakfast and then a do-it-yourself coffee-to-go before entering the motorcade and departing to LITEXPO.
In the late morning of 12 July 2023, the final day of the NATO Summit, the first sightings of Lithuanian Armed Forces helicopters traveling low above Vilnius- multiple flight paths above buildings throughout the day. They continue to circle the area of the LITEXPO- with an outrider on each helicopter.
Later afternoon, as the delegations return to the hotel prior to their departure homeward, Prime Minister Rama sits on a bench on Gedimino Avenue in front of the hotel- on his cellular device. He goes unnoticed accept for his lone bodyguard.
The average seven-vehicle motorcade for each of the six delegations have until this afternoon not been a traffic impediment in front of the hotel. Today, there is a bit of vehicular ballet as each motorcade retrieves its occupants for their departure home.
And until 2024 when the NATO Summit will be in Washington DC. Participants relishing the calming experience of Vilnius will encounter the jarring security protocols designed by the USSS- which do not consider the well-being of residents, visitors, or pedestrians. Washington DC is where barriers go to replicate…
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Thirty-One Members: United States, United Kingdom, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Romania, Germany, Slovakia, Greece, Slovenia, Hungary, Spain, Turkiye, Latvia, and North Macedonia.
The 600-member Grand National Assembly of the Republic of Turkiye is expected to approve in September 2023 the ascension of the Kingdom of Sweden- which has no border with the Russian Federation. The 199-member National Assembly of Hungary (Country Assembly) is also expected to approve soon the ascension of the Kingdom of Sweden.
