During the meeting the President and the Prime Minister focused on regional energy security issues and synchronization of the power grids with the continental Europe.
According to the President, disconnection from the Soviet-era BRELL circuit is a regional security priority. Therefore isolated operation of the Baltic power system cannot be delayed and should be tested as soon as possible in order to complete the synchronization with the continental Europe on time in 2025.
Three Baltic States and Poland reached a political agreement on the synchronization of the power grid to be carried out via the LitPolLink interconnection between Lithuania and Poland.
The President also highlighted that Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have to use the possibilities of the current multiannual financial framework and secure funding for the implementation of the synchronization project.
The threat posed by the Ostrovets nuclear power plant was also discussed. At the conference in Geneva, in February, parties to the Espoo convention acknowledged that the site selected for the construction of the Ostrovets nuclear power plant was unsafe. This is the first time that such an understanding has been reached and it could be used as a basis to seek closure of the nuclear power plant. It is a meaningful achievement of Lithuania’s long-term diplomatic efforts.
The state leaders also discussed strengthening of regional security, shared interests in safeguarding further NATO’s security guarantees for the Baltic States, and cooperation on implementation of PESCO projects, especially those aimed at countering cyber and information threats.
The President and the Latvian Prime Minister agreed to join efforts in defending the interests of our countries in the negotiations on the new multiannual financial framework. Latvia as well as Lithuania seeks to avoid drastic cuts in support from cohesion funds and bring direct payments to the Baltic farmers closer to the EU average as soon as possible. Both countries will try to ensure adequate funding for the Rail Baltica and other regional infrastructure projects.
