On 13 December, the Ambassador of Lithuania to Australia Gediminas Varvuolis opened the Honorary Consulate of Lithuania in Darwin. Egle Garrick, an active member of the Lithuanian World Community, was appointed as the Honorary Consul of Lithuania in the Northern Territory.

The European Commission announced on 20th December an additional €8 million for the vulnerable people in Ukraine affected by the ongoing conflict in the east of the country. This funding brings EU humanitarian allocation to Ukraine in 2019 to €23 million.

On Thursday, the European Parliament adopted three resolutions taking stock of the human rights situation in Russia, Afghanistan and Burkina Faso.

MEPs express serious concern about China’s repression of the Uyghurs and call on the Chinese government to close the “re-education camps” in Xinjiang immediately.

MEPs urge the Nicaraguan government to end the ongoing crackdown on opposition voices and call for dialogue between the country’s political forces to resume.

Most MEPs urged European Council President Charles Michel to ensure that the EU long-term budget reflects the climate neutrality goals agreed during the December summit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania has allocated additional EUR 10, 000 for humanitarian aid to Albania. The funds will be transferred to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

On December 16 Vice Minister of National Defence Eimutis Misiūnas met with Chief of Defence of the Bundeswehr Lieutenant General Eberhard Zorn. Vice Minister E. Misiūnas thanked Germany for the contribution to the security in the Baltic region and assistance to the Lithuanian Armed Forces, leadership in the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group Lithuania, investments to military infrastructure in Lithuania.

The worsening migration situation in Latin America and Europe worries parliamentarians in both regions, who also warn against increasing trade protectionism.

During the meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday, President Gitanas Nausėda discussed bilateral relations in the fields of defense, security, migration and the EU agenda.