At its meeting on Wednesday, the Executive Board of the Conference on the Future of Europe continued preparations to get the Conference started.

President Gitanas Nausėda met with the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Arancha González Laya, to discuss bilateral relations, cooperation within the EU and NATO, the deteriorating situation in eastern Ukraine, and economic cooperation in high technologies and innovation.

A group of Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) from 10 countries addressed the Secretary-General, the Committee of Ministers and the Member States of the Council of Europe, urging them to take immediate measures to prevent a new pandemic. ‘Human health, not the profits of pharmaceutical companies or agricultural enterprises, must be the top priority,’ says Laima Andrikienė, Vice President of PACE and initiator of the declaration.

Minister of Justice Evelina Dobrovolska attended a joint meeting of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and Committee on Foreign Affairs, where she reiterated her call for the EU to work together against politically motivated acts of persecution by third countries.

Vice Minister of National Defence Margiris Abukevičius thanked Italy for the continued contribution to the security in the region and underscored the necessity for the Alliance to stay vigilant because the situation was prone to change anytime. Vice Minister pointed that out at a meeting with his Italian counterpart Vice Minister of Defence Giorgio Mule and Italian Air Force Operational Commander Lieutenant General Pilot Gianni Candotti on March 29.

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell recognised Lithuania’s contribution to the success of Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI.

On March 31 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas met with Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Tod D. Wolters visiting Lithuania. Minister and the guest discussed security situation in the region, strengthening of the NATO deterrence and defence measures, including the relevant aspects of air defence.

On March 29 Lithuania celebrates its 17th anniversary of membership in NATO, the most powerful defensive alliance in the world. Security environment has undergone significant changes over that time, and so has the Alliance in which Lithuania has established itself as a trustworthy ally.

On 26 March, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis took part in a virtual Foreign Ministers' meeting of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8). The meeting was organised by Finland, which is coordinating the NB8 cooperation in 2021.

On March 23 Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas had a virtual meeting with Minister of Defence of Denmark Trine Bramsen. Ministers discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation via a video teleconference.