At the meeting with the ambassadors of the EU countries, the President reviewed Lithuania’s current affairs and the results of the elections to the European Parliament.
“Europe is at a critical point in history. The fight for freedom and European values is taking place on our doorstep and the future of Europe is being decided there. The results of the European Parliament elections point to the changing mood of EU citizens, which we must reflect in our decisions—in the EU’s strategic agenda—towards building a strong, competitive, and democratic Europe,” the Head of State said.
The President emphasized that the process of uniting Europe should be completed by enlarging the EU to include countries that have expressed their willingness to join and meet the criteria for membership. Gitanas Nausėda noted that the European Council’s decisions will be implemented on June 25, when negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova on their EU membership will begin at the intergovernmental conference.
The President also reviewed the results of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, held over the weekend in Switzerland. According to the Lithuanian leader, it is a collective duty of allies to show full solidarity with Ukraine and support it until victory. Gitanas Nausėda stressed the importance of effective military assistance to Ukraine and the necessity of not only making decisions on assistance but also implementing them promptly.
During his meeting with the EU ambassadors, the Lithuanian leader emphasized the need for Europe to strengthen its defense capabilities, increase investment in the defense industry, and develop new financing instruments. According to the President, the EU also needs to bolster its competitiveness and fully leverage the benefits of the single market. Gitanas Nausėda stressed that particular attention must be paid to border protection, combating irregular migration, and preventing its instrumentalization for political purposes.
