On 21 September 2017 the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada entered into force provisionally. It is one of the most ambitious EU free trade agreements that will open the Canadian market with its population of 35 million to Lithuanian exporters.

Over the last month 400,000 Rohingyas have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh. MEPs urge the Myanmar government to stop the crackdown on the minority.

Lithuania joined political declaration on reforming the United Nations, drafted on the initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė extended heartfelt condolences on behalf of the Lithuanian people and on her own behalf to President Enrique Peña Nieto of the United Mexican States over the earthquake that claimed many lives.

On 18 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius, who is commencing his visit to New York, met with the Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki.

President Dalia Grybauskaitė has left for the General Assembly of the United Nations where she will directly inform world leaders about the security situation at Lithuania’s border and in the region as well as about aggressive scenarios practiced at the offensive military exercise “Zapad”.

On 13-14 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius visited Moldova, where he met with Moldova’s President Igor Dodon, the Prime Minister Pavel Filip, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Andrei Galbur, representatives of opposition and political parties, and Lithuanian experts working in Moldova. During the visit, Linkevičius discussed Moldova’s situation, bilateral cooperation, and the implementation of the EU-Moldova Association Agreement.

On 13 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius congratulated Behgjet Pacolli on his appointment as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo and wished him every success in his important role.

On September 14 Colonel Volkan Ersun Acar replaced Lieutenant Colonel Necmedin Dalkiran as Turkey’s Defence Attaché in Lithuania at a ceremony at the Ministry of National Defence. Col N.Dalkiran was in the position since 2015.

The State of the Union debate on 13 September was all about setting the EU’s future course. Find out what it was all about by watching the video.