On Monday, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas met with the ambassadors of the European Union Member States in Lithuania to discuss key issues shaping the future of the EU. The meeting underscored the most pressing topics on the EU agenda.

Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States at a ceremony in the Capitol on Monday. Taking the oath of office formally begins his presidency.

On January 15, Thursday, Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė conducted a visit to The Hague. She met with Minister of Defence of the Netherlands and quadrilaterally – with Dutch, Latvian and Estonian counterparts. Minister discussed security of Allies’ undersea infrastructure, enhancement of the European security, air defence, withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, assistance to Ukraine and more topics.

President Gitanas Nausėda, together with the Heads of State and Government of the Nordic and Baltic countries, has today appointed the former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to prepare an independent report with policy recommendations aimed at advancing Nordic-Baltic security and defense cooperation.

January 10, Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė welcomed a U.S delegation visiting Lithuania: the topics discussed covered the transatlantic security architecture, the importance of Lithuanian-U.S. partnership, support to Ukraine, threats posed by China, and other aspects of bilateral relations. The delegation was formed by representatives of the first D.Trump administration: Marshall Billingslea, Victoria Coates and Nathan Sales.

On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nausėda participated in the summit of the Baltic Sea NATO countries in Helsinki.

On Monday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will make his first official visit to the European Parliament since taking office on 1 October 2024.

On 9 January Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys continues his working visit to Latvia. The head of Lithuanian diplomacy met with Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa.

The raging fires in Los Angeles have already claimed at least five lives.

We note Gazprom’s decision to cease gas supplies to Moldova as of January 1st, 2025. This action is aimed at undermining political and economic stability in Moldova.