Lithuania invites Germany to cooperate in creating ambitious EU eastern partnership policy On May 15 in Vilnius, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis met with German Minister of State Michael Georg Link to discuss Lithuania’s interests in negotiations on the next EU financial perspective and future Eastern Partnership policy. More...

Baltic States should work together towards achieving common goals in the EU and its neighborhood, Lithuanian foreign minister says The Baltic States must work together to defend their common interests – address energy security challenges and problems of transport isolation, develop a vision of the Eastern neighbourhood, aim at achieving a universal condemnation of crimes committed by the totalitarian regimes and to negotiate the EU budget together, because they can expect positive results only when speaking with one voice, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis said. More...

Foreign ministry’s statement on the decision by the Swiss government to impose restrictions for certain categories of residence permits Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is concerned about the decision by the Swiss Government of 1 May to re-establish quantitative limitations for certain categories of residence permits for EU citizens who are nationals of eight EU member states. More...

The EU should remain engaged in Afghanistan also after 2014, Lithuanian foreign minister says On April 23 at the EU Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Luxembourg, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis underlined that the EU engagement in Afghanistan was a long-term task, and that cooperation with Kabul had to continue after transferring the security responsibility to the Afghan National Security Forces in 2014. More...

Lithuanian foreign minister calls on Armenia to take advantage of Lithuania’s forthcoming EU presidency On his official visit to Yerevan, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis called on Armenia to take advantage of Lithuania’s forthcoming Presidency the Council of the EU and to establish closer relations with the EU, which would accelerate Armenia’s progress and open up new possibilities for cooperation. More...

European Commission’s proposed EU aid distribution principle does not satisfy Lithuania President Dalia Grybauskaitė met with EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn. More...

The EU ministers take a unanimous decision on Belarus On 23 March in Brussels, the EU foreign ministers made a unanimous decision to reinforce restrictive measures against the Belarusian regime. Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis underlined that these measures should affect the regime and officials personally responsible for acts of repression, but not ordinary Belarusians. More...

The EU common agricultural and cohesion policies remain basic tools for the promotion of regional development, Lithuanian foreign vice-minister says On 22 March at the high-level conference on the EU multiannual financial framework in Brussels, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Egidijus Meilūnas underlined that the agricultural and cohesion policies were essential tools to help bridge the gap between more and less advanced regions, to create a more effective single market and to improve competitiveness of the EU in the world. More...

The EU must employ a solid external energy policy, Lithuanian foreign vice-minister says Having high dependence of imported energy resources, the European Union needs to employ a solid and strong external energy policy, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Egidijus Meilūnas said. More...

Lithuania calls on the EU to grant tariff preferences to countries most in need On 16 March at the EU trade ministers meeting in Brussels, Lithuanian Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Egidijus Meilūnas called on the EU to grant tariff preferences only to economically weakest countries rather than to growing competitive economies. More...