Dear Prime Minister Sinkevičius, dear Mindaugas,
Thank you for the warm welcome here in Vilnius. And it is good to be here before you are preparing to have your EU Council Presidency next year.
Your Presidency priorities reflect the world that we are living today. We need to strengthen our defence, protect our democracies from external interference and hybrid threats, and ensure that Europe has the capacity and determination to act when needed. You can count on my full support on that.
Today, we discussed the full range of issues, like the Prime Minister already mentioned, including Russia’s increasingly brazen and reckless hybrid attacks. With the Duma elections approaching, we must be ready for further provocations on European soil.
We are likely to see more attacks, like the one in Leipzig, and we must be prepared to respond.
As the Prime Minister and I just discussed, Lithuania is one of the most heavily targeted EU Member States. Airspace violations, disinformation campaigns, and sabotage are persistent security concerns. You have our full support. Your experience must help shape Europe’s collective response.
An attack on one country tests the resolve of us all. The EU’s counter-hybrid strategy and drone and counter-drone action plan must deliver practical protection. Ukraine’s battlefield experience will help to build the capabilities that we need. We also spoke about the border situation with Belarus.
Lukashenka has made Belarus a platform of Russia’s war. His regime also threatens its European neighbours and weaponises illegal migration against them. The sophistication of smuggling tunnels points to organised support. There are strong indications that Minsk has been lending a hand.
Tomorrow, I will also visit Padvarionys frontier station. Lithuania’s border security is a shared European responsibility. We must accelerate the Eastern Flank Watch, working closely with NATO, of course, and keep our sanctions pressure.
I would also like to thank Lithuania for its strong support to Ukraine. Russia’s war is growing more ruthless and destructive, but it is unfortunately no closer to its end. With its army bogged down on the ground, Russia keeps killing civilians from the skies.
Through the Ukraine Support Loan, we have disbursed the first €8.47 billion to Ukraine. Another €6.1 billion has been approved, including for air defence that they so much need.
We are also working on the most far-reaching sanctions listings so far. More support for Ukraine and more pressure on Moscow is the fastest way to end this war.
On defence, Lithuania leads by example. You spend well over 5% of GDP on defence, and you host many key NATO installations. The strong focus you intend to put on security and defence among your EU Council Presidency priorities could not be timelier.
On enlargement, Lithuania’s commitment is equally valuable. Bringing new members into our Union is a strategic investment in Europe’s security and prosperity. We must work towards opening further negotiation clusters with Ukraine and Moldova, and advance negotiations with Albania and Montenegro.
Our goal should remain to welcome new members during this mandate. Candidates must deliver reforms, of course, but Europe also needs to honour its commitments.
Finally, our next EU long-term budget must match our ambitions. We need an agreement in time to work from day one with the funds to deliver on our geopolitical priorities. And that also means adequate funding for Global Europe, our foreign and security policy, and also our diplomatic network.
So, dear Mindaugas, Lithuania knows the price of freedom well. You bring the clarity to Europe and together, we must ensure Europe has the resolve, the resources and capabilities to defend itself.
Thank you very much.