The Venezuelan presidential elections should be suspended until conditions for credible, transparent and inclusive elections are met, say MEPs.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė opened the Lithuanian art festival “Flux” in Rome. The festival is held under the patronage of the presidents of Lithuania and Italy. Dalia Grybauskaitė also presented a state decoration to conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla awarded on the occasion of February 16 for her achievements on the international music stage and the promotion of Lithuania in the world.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates. Following the President's successful visit to the UAE this past autumn, Emirati businesses are showing increasingly more interest in Lithuania. The meeting therefore focused on the further development of cooperation in business, trade, innovation, and investment.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella. The two heads of state placed particular emphasis on security issues, bilateral cooperation within the European Union and NATO as well as the expansion ties in culture, science and business. At the President’s invitation, Sergio Mattarella.will make a state visit to Lithuania this coming July.

On 3 May, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) invited Lithuania to accede to the OECD Convention and to become its 36th member country. Thus, Lithuania has gained significant international recognition as a developed and advanced economy.

On 27 April, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius congratulated Mike Pompeo on his appointment as the new United States Secretary of State.

Commission statement following US announcement of an extension until 1 June of the EU's exemption from US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė together with Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway opened a Lithuanian-Norwegian Business Forum in Vilnius. The event, gathering over 200 business representatives from both countries, places a specific focus on technologies inspiring growth and progress.

Requesting and granting asylum in the EU will be quicker and simpler, with stronger safeguards, particularly for children, under new rules approved in committee on Wednesday.

The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules Italian plans to prolong two motorway concessions and impose a cap on their tolls. This will enable around €8.5 billion of investments to go ahead while reducing the impact on users and limiting distortions of competition.