Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas

08/26/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/26/2026 07:44

Gitanas NausÄ—da met with the President of the European Council

Considerable attention was devoted to the forthcoming EU multiannual financial framework 2028-2034. President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized that new challenges cannot be addressed at the expense of cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy. According to Gitanas Nausėda, the new EU budget must also reflect the fundamentally changed security environment and the increased needs of the EU's eastern flank. The President stressed the need to increase funding for European defense, military mobility, and the protection of critical infrastructure.

The meeting also covered the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027. President Gitanas Nausėda noted that a secure, resilient, and competitive Europe will be at the heart of Lithuania's Presidency. Key priorities will include European security and defense, comprehensive support for Ukraine, EU enlargement, strengthening competitiveness, preparedness for hybrid threats, the protection of external borders, fostering a shared European historical memory, and countering the falsification of history.

Support for Ukraine was also a major topic of the meeting. According to the Head of State, Lithuania will continue to advocate for support for Ukraine to remain one of the European Union's top priorities. "We returned from Ukraine just yesterday. Once again, we witnessed with our own eyes a country that, for the fifth year in a row, has been defending not only its own freedom and independence, but also the security of the whole of Europe. Europe cannot grow tired of supporting Ukraine. On the contrary, we have to do more now," the Lithuanian President said.

Gitanas Nausėda emphasized the need to ensure sufficient and sustained financial and military support for Ukraine, strengthen its air defense, and continue increasing pressure on Russia. According to the President, the European Union needs to adopt the 22nd package of sanctions as soon as possible, targeting primarily the sectors that finance Russia's war machine-the energy sector, the financial system, and mechanisms used to circumvent sanctions.

The President emphasized that airspace violations, GPS jamming, sabotage of critical infrastructure, and the instrumentalization of migration have become a constant feature of Europe's security environment. Therefore, the EU needs common political decisions and adequate financial instruments to counter these threats.

Addressing EU enlargement, Gitanas Nausėda underlined the need to continue accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova without delay and to open negotiations on the remaining four clusters. According to the President, Lithuania believes that Ukraine's membership in the European Union could become a reality by 2030.

The President's Communication Group
Last updated 2026.08.26 16:29

Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas published this content on August 26, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 26, 2026 at 13:44 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]