Ministers also touched on a variety of pressing issues on the international scene, including the situation in Libya.
“The Eastern Partnership must remain the EU’s strategic policy. The EU must maintain ambitious Eastern Partnership agenda, as it is necessary to inspire long-term motivation among the Eastern partners, affirm the pro-European direction they have chosen, and provide the EU’s support for achieving these goals," the Foreign Minister L. Linkevičius said.
The Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy Olivér Várhelyi informed about the proposal for a macro-financial assistance (MFA) package to enlargement and neighborhood partners, including EUR 150 million for Georgia, EUR 100 million for Moldova, and EUR 1.2 billion for Ukraine, to help the countries to limit the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.
In this context, Ministers also discussed the situation in Ukraine. According to Lithuania’s Foreign Minister, the EU should support Ukraine in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to mitigate the coronavirus pandemic's negative socio-economic consequences. At the same time, the EU should continue focusing on Ukraine and ways to consistently support its ongoing reforms, while expressing expectations of progress in implementing the necessary ones.
“As long as Russia's aggression continues, the EU has to reinforce its pressure, including through sanctions. Sanctions must be maintained on Russia until full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. In this light, the EU’s response to the opening of the illegal railway bridge over the Kerch Strait in Crimea is also important,” L. Linkevičius said.
EU Foreign Affairs Ministers also discussed the situation in Libya, which continued to be very critical. The fighting in Libya has increased recently, despite the international calls for truce to help contain the Coronavirus pandemic. Lithuania supports the launch of a new military operation in the Mediterranean (IRINI) and is considering possibilities to participate in it. The EU’s latest operation aims to contribute to the implementation of the UN arms embargo and to promoting peace in Lybia.