Baltic and Nordic countries have already established a long-standing tradition of cooperation in the EU and coordinate their positions before each European Council. The meeting in The Hague presents an opportunity for Lithuania to discuss important issues with allied Benelux countries as well.
According to the President, the meeting under the initiative of the Netherlands provides Lithuania with more opportunities to defend its interests in the EU and demonstrates that the voice of Baltic and Nordic countries is taken into consideration.
In The Hague, the President introduced Lithuania‘s position on strengthening European defense. According to Dalia Grybauskaitė, the EU should invest more into its defense and do it more efficiently. It is paramount to promote cooperation of the European defense industry, accelerate the establishment of the European Defense Fund with a possibility for small enterprises to participate, and enhance countries’ resistance to cyber and hybrid threats. Deeper cooperation of the EU member states in the area of defense should not overlap NATO.
The Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg understand security challenges arising to our region and help countering them. These countries were among the first to send their troops to ensure NATO‘s forward presence in Lithuania. Benelux countries and Lithuania also enjoy strong economic relations as mutual trade accounted for over three billion euros last year.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of Belgium Charles Michel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Estonia Jüri Ratas, Prime Minister of Latvia Māris Kučinskis, Prime Minister of Sweden Stefan Löfven, Finland’s State Secretary for EU Affairs Kare Halonen, and Denmark’s Permanent Under Secretary of State Michael Starbæk Christensen.
