On May 17 the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania approved the strategy for preparing citizens of the Republic of Lithuania for civil resistance. The Strategy was drafted by the Ministry of National Defence and lays out an all-round and purposeful engagement of citizens into national security and defence.

On 15–16 May 2022, Marius Matijošaitis, Deputy Chair of the Seimas Committee on European Affairs, took part in the Meeting of the Chairpersons of the Committees on European Affairs of the Parliaments of the Baltic States and the Sejm and Senate of Poland held to discuss current issues on the agenda of the European Union (EU) and exchange views on migration and challenges to EU humanitarian efforts in the context of the war in Ukraine.

MEPs will discuss Ukraine, vote on proposals for the EU’s green transition and look at the impact of digital market rules with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

On Monday, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė met with Jan Jambon, Minister-President of the Belgian region Flanders. During the meeting held at the Office of the Government, cooperation between Lithuania and Flanders as well as opportunities for developing it in the fields of green economy, renewable energy, and innovations were discussed, the security situation in Europe was addressed as the war in Ukraine launched by Russia continues, and Lithuania shared its experiences in combating disinformation and propaganda as well as ensuring energy independence.

On Thursday, President Gitanas Nausėda met with President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu of Kosovo, who is on a working visit to Lithuania. The Lithuanian and Kosovo leaders discussed Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, the security situation in the Western Balkans and the Baltic region, Kosovo’s aspirations for European integration, the development of bilateral relations and the prospects for their expansion.

On 10 May 2022, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, met with Olena Kondratiuk, Deputy Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Ms Kondratiuk, who has arrived in Lithuania at the invitation of the Speaker of the Seimas, is the highest-ranking Ukrainian official to visit Vilnius since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola received citizens’ contributions for a better, stronger and fairer Europe during the Conference on the Future of Europe closing ceremony.

On Thursday, President Gitanas Nausėda participated in the opening ceremony of the Lithuanian-Polish gas pipeline GIPL at the Jauniūnai natural gas compressor station in the Širvintos district. Together with Presidents Andrzej Duda and Egils Levits of Poland and Latvia, and EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson, the President pressed a symbolic pipeline launch button.

In a debate with French Minister Delegate Klinkert and President von der Leyen, MEPs said internal EU unity and solidarity is crucial now and for the future reconstruction of Ukraine.

JOINT STATEMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTERS OF THE BALTIC STATES