In Gdansk, Budrys discussed strengthening the partnership between Lithuania and Flanders, and joint initiatives for the reconstruction of Ukraine

On 25 June, the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys met with the Minister-President of Flanders Matthias Diependaele on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk. The meeting focused on the guidelines for cooperation between Lithuania and Flanders, the strengthening of economic ties, and practical partnerships for Ukraine's recovery.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy emphasized that the 30th anniversary of the
intergovernmental Cooperation Treaty between Lithuania and Flanders, marked this year, gives a new impetus to the partnership. Budrys reiterated his invitation to the Minister-President of Flanders to come to Vilnius and sign the renewed cooperation programme for 2027-2029.

"Flanders has been our important economic partner since the restoration of Lithuania's independence, and Flemish business has made a significant contribution to shaping Lithuania's economic environment. One such example of success was the establishment of the Kaunas Free Economic Zone, and in recent years, the cooperation between the ports of Klaipėda and Antwerp has increased significantly. We are ready to welcome the Minister-President of Flanders together with the Flemish business delegation to Lithuania and open a new page in our cooperation", said Budrys.

The meeting focused on the reconstruction of Ukraine. The Minister underlined the cooperation between the Lithuanian and Flemish authorities in implementing the Creative Ukraine programme, which helps qualified young Ukrainian professionals to return home to work on reforms and European integration.

Budrys also presented the Future School for Ukraine initiative, stressing that the project was already included in the Ukraine Reconstruction Register and that construction in Zhytomyr should start by the end of this year or early 2027. According to the Minister, this is one of the clearest examples of practical reconstruction projects with the potential to be implemented in other regions of Ukraine. He invited Flanders to become more involved in the implementation of this initiative.

When discussing the cooperation of the port sector in the context of the reconstruction of Ukraine, Budrys emphasized that the port of Klaipėda is ready to participate together with the port of Antwerp or other Flemish partners in the projects of restoration and concessions of Ukraine's port infrastructure.

"We have a real potential to combine the competences of Lithuania and Flanders to contribute to the recovery of Ukraine's maritime sector," said the Minister.

At the end of the meeting, Kęstutis Budrys emphasized that Flanders is one of the most dynamic and economically strong regions in Europe, and closer cooperation between Lithuania and Flanders opens up mutually beneficial opportunities in both economy and Ukraine's recovery.