On May 12, Rukla, Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas met with Belgian counterpart Minister of Defence Ludivine Dedonder to discuss bilateral Lithuanian-Belgian cooperation on strengthening defence capabilities, the importance of NATO enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic states and Poland, security situation in the region, and the growing threat from Russia.

Economist Ieva Valeškaitė, who had previously served as Minister’s Adviser, has joined the vice-ministers‘ team of Minister of the Economy and Innovation Aušinė Armonaitė. Ieva Valeškaitė will be responsible for better regulation and business supervision, taxation environment for business and for creating an economic analysis unit at the Ministry.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė has taken part in the international conference Green Course 2021 in Klaipėda Castle.

On Saturday, the informal European Council meeting endorsed the EU’s social policy priorities for 2030, based on the reduction of social inequalities, poverty, and exclusion as well as dialogue with social partners.

On May 5 Vice Minister of National Defence Margiris Abukevičius had a remote meeting with Executive Director of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) Juhan Lepassaar. The officials discussed national and European issues on the cybersecurity agenda, focusing on cooperation among the EU member states and ENISA.

On 6 May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis held a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides and discussed possibilities for strengthening bilateral cooperation, the situation in the European Union’s neighbourhood, important regional security issues, EU-Turkey relations, and response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

On May 6 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas attended a Foreign Affairs Council on Defence meeting in Brussels. The main discussion on the agenda focused on the Strategic Compass document which will set out guidance for a more efficient EU action on security and defence and threat management in the EU neighbourhood. Defence Ministers discussed ways to speed up and improve EU decision-making and enhance the EU ability to conduct military operations effectively.

President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, met remotely with ambassadors of the EU member states to discuss topical EU issues and relations with third countries in the run-up to this week’s informal European Council in Porto.

President Gitanas Nausėda had a conference call with European Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius to discuss further steps towards the green transformation of Lithuania and the entire European Union.

On 29 April, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Mantas Adomėnas took part in an informal video conference of Foreign Affairs Ministers (Development). The meeting focused on the Future European Financial Architecture for Development, actions and measures to be taken for the improvement of the institutional framework.