MEPs elected David Sassoli as President of the European Parliament on Wednesday afternoon, having won 345 out of 667 valid votes in the second round.

As the new European Parliament meets for the first time 2 July, MEPs have formed seven political groups.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė and President Andrzej Duda of Poland issued a joint statement to celebrate the 450th anniversary of the Union of Lublin.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė is attending a special European Council meeting to decide on the possible candidates for top positions in the European Union.

The Resolution adopted by the Seimas on the 450th anniversary of the Union of Lublin, an act signed by Lithuania and Poland 450 years ago (draft No XIII-3577), expressed the hope that the political identity and parliamentary culture characteristic of the old Commonwealth of the Two Nations will be recognized as an important part of both the Lithuanian and the Polish parliamentary history. The Resolution was adopted unanimously by 94 votes in favour.

On June 25 Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis is attending a meeting of the Minister of Defence of the Norther n Group in Berlin (Germany). The Ministers are planned to discuss security situation in the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic regions, implementation of the simplified movement of military forces between the Nordic and the Baltic region countries, as well as the necessity to strengthen strategic communication to counterbalance fake new and propaganda.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė, together with other EU leaders, is taking part in the European Council meeting to discuss the EU budget, EU’s strategic agenda, external policy, climate change, and other relevant European issues.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė leaves for a two-day working visit to Brussels to attend the European Council meeting.

From June 12 to 16, the Ambassador Gediminas Varvuolis is visiting Singapore, where he takes part in ASEF (Asia-Europe Foundation, https://www.asef.org/) Board of Governors meeting and other bilateral meetings. In his speech, the Ambassador underlined the importance of increasing visibility of the Foundation, particularly among the youth, and thanked ASEF for presentation of ASEF programs to Lithuanian artists, who are looking for support to their projects in Asian countries. During the meeting, attention was also paid to the reform of the Foundation and current issues.

On 13 June, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius, together with his Latvian counterpart Edgars Rinkēvičs and representatives of the two Foreign Ministries, participated in informal consultations in Mazmežotne, Latvia.