The Council launched today EUNAVFOR ASPIDES. The objective of this defensive maritime security operation is to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament’s Conference of Presidents (President and political groups’ leaders) made the following statement on the death of Alexei Navalny.

On Friday, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, who is attending the Munich Security Conference, met with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov.

President Gitanas Nausėda is attending the Munich Security Conference. On Saturday, the Head of State addressed the discussion “Flank-Tastic? Mapping NATO’s Eastern Deterrence and Defense”.

On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nausėda received letters of credence from Ambassador Alexander Scerri Herrera of Malta, Ambassador Badr Mohammed Badr Al Mantheri of Oman, and Ambassador Boubacar Kane of Mauritania.

Government Chancellor Giedrė Balčytytė and United Arab Emirates' Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Thani Al Zeyoudi, discussed steps to boost investment projects between Lithuania and the UAE and to strengthen trade and bilateral economic relations.

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions on human rights issues in Belarus, Iran and Nigeria.

In talks with EU member states, MEPs have secured key improvements to the "Ukraine Facility”, focusing on enhancing transparency and combating corruption.

Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Seimas, has met with Mike Johnson, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. At the meeting, the Speaker of the Seimas underlined that, despite the fact that the Russian invasion had let to challenging times for Europe, the United States, and the transatlantic partnership, we must make good use of this challenge to ensure that global democracies emerge stronger from the battlefield. Therefore, democracies must act together in pursuit of security as the key priority at the moment.

On Thursday, President Gitanas Nausėda is participating in the European Council meeting in Brussels, where the European leaders agreed on a revision of the EU’s multiannual financial framework to include €50 billion in long-term financial support for Ukraine.