‘Our countries have enjoyed excellent bilateral relations and friendship, and we want to take them even further’, said the Lithuanian Prime Minister.
On economic cooperation, the counterparts have agreed about the need to focus more on life sciences, high technologies, green energy, along with the traditional industries.
Ingrida Šimonytė has thanked the Prime Minister for Spain’s contribution to the Baltic security.
‘The presence of Spanish troops in NATO Air Policing Mission in Šiauliai and NATO’s Forward Presence Battalion in Latvia is the clearest example of solidarity, which we greatly appreciate’, said the Lithuanian Prime Minister.
‘Lithuania and Spain share a common responsibility to build a secure and strong Europe. We therefore need to work ever closer together to tackle both conventional and hybrid security challenges. Our discussion today has shown that we understand these challenges in the same way’, noted the Lithuanian Prime Minister.
The Prime Ministers have talked about Belarussian regime-facilitated flow of illegal migrants, which poses a threat to the entire EU.
‘The Belarussian regime is cynically exploiting the situation of vulnerable people and weaponising the illegal migration. The EU’s response must be firm and swift to such actions from the Belarussian regime. We hope for further solidarity from the EU and the Member States in increasing the protection of the EU external border,’ said the Lithuanian Prime Minister.
Spain’s experience in combating illegal migration flows from the Mediterranean Sea has also been brought up.
The Lithuanian Prime Minister has pointed out that Belarussian regime’s unpredictability has further highlighted the problem of the unsafe Astravets NPP.
‘The unsafe Astravets NPP is a threat to the whole of the EU and a reminder that Russia will always tend to use energy projects for geopolitical purposes’, said the Prime Minister.
The Prime Ministers have discussed the significantly deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus and Russia, and the challenges posed by China.
The counterparts have talked about the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit and agreed about the need to strengthen EU’s relations with its southern and eastern neighbours.
Both Prime Ministers had a brief tour of Vilnius University.
