According to the President, the United Kingdom will remain an important part of Europe even after leaving the European Union. The UK is a close political, economic and security partner and ally to which we are connected by strong people-to-people ties. Therefore, the negotiations need to focus on both the protection of own interests and new solutions for effective future cooperation.
Lithuania's primary objective is to ensure that Lithuanian nationals living in the UK continue to enjoy non-discriminatory rights after Brexit.
More than three million Europeans live, study and work in the UK. The protection of their rights is therefore a top negotiating priority. Leaders agreed to make sure that Brexit would not imply any deterioration in the situation of EU citizens living in the United Kingdom.
The EU will also seek to ensure that no business-hindering legal vacuum is created by Brexit. The United Kingdom is a major export partner of Lithuania and the world’s fifth largest economy. It is important for Lithuania therefore to maintain close economic contacts with Britain as well as to protect EU fundamental freedoms.
EU leaders also underlined that they would seek a strong and constructive future relationship with the United Kingdom that would cover not only trade, but also close collaborative work in defense, foreign and security policies and counter-terrorism.
