The European Parliament condemns the recent attempted coup to prevent Juan Guaidó from being re-elected President of the Venezuelan National Assembly.

President Gitanas Nausėda leaves for Davos to attend the World Economic Forum for the first time. This year the forum focuses on harmonious and sustainable global development.

On 17 January, on the margins of the “Snow Meeting”, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius and the Acting Assistant Secretary of European and Eurasian Affairs Philip T. Reeker discussed transatlantic cooperation in response to regional security challenges, including a threat posed by the construction of an unsafe Ostrovets Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

On 10 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius attended the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. The Council was briefed on the latest developments in Iraq, including through an exchange with the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, and discussed the role of the EU in de-escalating heightened tensions in the Middle East region.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, together with High Representative Josep Borrell, have met with Fayez al-Sarraj, Chairman of the Presidency Council of the Government of National Accord of the State of Libya, upon his arrival in Brussels.

On 10 January, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius will attend an extraordinary meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. The Council will discuss current affairs and exchange views on recent events in Iraq, focusing on ways to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region.

This morning, a Ukraine International Airlines plane has crashed shortly after take-off in Tehran, killing all the people on board. Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis extends heartfelt condolences to the families of all the victims of the plane crash.

15 Lithuanian soldiers are currently deployed to the NATO Mission Iraq as part of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS/ Daesh. Taking into account the deteriorating security situation and changes in the stance of the country’s Government, international commanders took additional measures to ensure personnel protection: security level at military bases has been elevated, limitations have been placed on military personnel movement, training activities have been halted. The Defence Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces is in constant touch with Lithuanian troops on the ground.

President Gitanas Nausėda extended congratulations to President Simonetta Sommaruga of the Swiss Confederation on assuming office and wished her wisdom and success in working for the good of the people of Switzerland.

The European Commission is releasing a further €10 million in humanitarian aid to address the Rohingya crisis in Bangladesh and Myanmar. This comes on top of the €33 million funding already announced earlier this year and aims to ensure life-saving assistance to refugees, displaced people and host communities across Myanmar's Northern Rakhine State and the border district of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.