The video conference was held to prepare for the European Council extraordinary meeting scheduled in Brussels on May 30-31. The main topics of this meeting were the aid to Ukraine and its reconstruction plan, energy, food security, and the EU’s security and defense policy.
At the preparatory meeting, the President stressed that the EU cannot delay the sixth package of sanctions against Russia, which must be adopted immediately and must include an embargo on Russian oil, and that the seventh package of sanctions must be on the EU’s agenda.
On Ukraine, Gitanas Nausėda pointed out that Lithuania was in favor of using frozen Russian funds for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The President also stressed that political support for Ukraine remains important and therefore advocates granting EU candidate status to Ukraine without further delay.
On energy issues, the President underlined the need for the EU to achieve full energy independence from Russia. According to Gitanas Nausėda, this requires the political will of the EU Member States and decisions on diversification of energy sources, investment in renewable energy, as well as on filling gas storage facilities.
President Gitanas Nausėda also stated that the exports of grain from Ukraine is another issue that requires immediate decisions.
“Russia is using Ukraine’s grain exports as a tool of manipulation in its war. Unblocking the port of Odessa should be the primary goal, though Lithuania is ready to provide its railway infrastructure and the seaport to ensure that the Ukrainian grain exports continue to move through Poland onwards”, President Gitanas Nausėda said.
The preparatory European Council session also covered EU defense and security policy, military mobility, and military assistance to Ukraine. The President underlined the importance of the transatlantic dimension in ensuring European security.
