President Karis to make state visit to Lithuania

On the invitation of his Lithuanian counterpart Gitanas Nausėda, President Alar Karis will be making a state visit to Lithuania on 15 & 16 April with his wife Sirje Karis, visiting both Vilnius and Kaunas. The head of state will be accompanied on the trip by members of the Riigikogu Enn Eesmaa and Luisa Värk, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas and a business and cultural delegation.

The aims of the visit are to reinforce the strategic partnership between Estonia and Lithuania, to discuss regional security, defence cooperation and infrastructure connections, and to broaden economic and cultural cooperation.

"The way our two countries work together is more than just a good relationship between neighbours," President Karis remarked. "It is a partnership that bolsters our security, our economies and our resilience on a day-to-day basis. In a rapidly evolving geopolitical situation, it is especially important that we stand united in both NATO and the EU. At a time when the world order is changing, clear choices determine the impact you have. That is why joint action and cooperation between the Nordic countries and Baltic States has become particularly important."

The head of state noted that common goals are at the heart of the partnership between Estonia and Lithuania. "Those goals are to strengthen our region's defence capabilities, to accelerate the building of strategic links and to increase economic cooperation, especially in the defence and technology sectors," he explained. "Our security does not solely depend on decisions, but also on how well we are connected, how promptly our economies function and how quickly they grow, and how united we are as allies."

President Karis added that the visit will also help to enhance economic relations and support entrepreneurs. "Close cooperation with Lithuania will lead to improved opportunities for our businesses, in the defence and technology sectors especially, where needs and interests clearly overlap," he noted.

Tomorrow, Wednesday 15 April, the head of state will be meeting with President Nausėda, as well as Speaker of the Seimas Juozas Olekas and Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė. Their discussions will focus on security and defence cooperation, the strengthening of both NATO and regional defence capabilities, unwavering support for Ukraine, and strategic infrastructure projects, including the construction of Rail Baltica.

The heads of state will then open an Estonian-Lithuanian business forum, after which President Karis will meet with Estonian investors operating in Lithuania.

Later in the day, in Antakalnis Cemetery, the head of state will lay a wreath at the memorial to those who lost their lives fighting for Lithuanian freedom in 1991.

The presidents and their spouses will then be taken to the Lithuanian State Historical Archives, where they will be shown papers documenting the history of relations between Estonia and Lithuania. This visit will mark the 105th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

In the evening, President Nausėda and his wife Diana Nausėdienė will be hosting a state dinner in honour of President Karis and Sirje Karis.

On Thursday 16 April, the state visit will continue in Kaunas, whose mayor will welcome the Estonian presidential couple in front of the former Estonian embassy building on Donelaičio Street. On the occasion of the visit, the former Lithuanian capital will also unveil a plaque to commemorate the building on Parodos Street in which the Estonian embassy was situated between the World Wars.

Thereafter, President Karis will be presented with an honorary doctorate by Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas, where he will deliver a lecture to students and academic staff.

In addition, the Estonian and Lithuanian heads of state will be given an overview of progress in the construction of Rail Baltica before paying a visit to the Rukla military base, where they will be meeting with members of the defence forces and discussing regional defence cooperation.

While in Kaunas, the Estonian presidential couple will be hosting a reception of their own to thank the Lithuanian head of state and his wife. Together they will attend a performance of Francesco Cilea's opera Adriana Lecouvreur at the Kaunas State Musical Theatre, the production being the result of a collaboration between Estonia and Lithuania: directed by Marta Aliide Jakovski, designed by Madis Nurms, with Erki Pehk as conductor and musical director and soprano Gabrielė Bukinė in the lead role.

Sirje Karis will also be visiting the Ukrainian Centre in Vilnius, accompanied by Diana Nausėdienė, to discuss the impact of war on children's mental health. They will also view an exhibition on the Baltic States' journey to energy independence and, at the National Museum of Lithuania, an exhibition on the early years of cultural diplomacy. In Kaunas, they will be visiting the Mokslo Sala Science and Innovation Promotion Centre, the neonatal unit at the Hospital of the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and the M.K. Čiurlionis Museum of Art.

President Karis will be accompanied on his visit by members of the Riigikogu Enn Eesmaa and Luisa Värk, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, Deputy Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces Major General Viktor Kalnitski, Chairman of the Management Board of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Oliver Väärtnõu, Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas and Director General of the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments Elmar Vaher.

The business delegation will comprise representatives of the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Estonian Defence and Aerospace Industries Association, the Estonian Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania, TRINITI Law Office/TRINITI JUREX Lithuania, Auve Tech, the BLRT Group, CR14, Dambis Estonia, DefSecIntel Solutions, Dipperfox, GoSwift, HexTech Solutions, KappaZeta, Marduk Technologies, Neverhack Estonia, Nitrotol, Nortal, Primend, RiskSight, SK ID Solutions, Skinest Rail, Spaceit, Zircon, Toci, the Mootor Group and the Go Group.

The cultural delegation will include representatives of the Estonian Theatre for Young Audiences, the Estonian Dance Agency, the Independent Dance Association, the Südalinna Theatre, the Von Krahl Theatre, the Niguliste Museum and the Ministry of Culture.

President Karis and Sirje Karis will be returning to Estonia on Friday morning.

Gallery (photos and videos, Raigo Pajula & Olari Pilnik/Office of the President): Office of the President /Presidendi kantselei's albums | Flickr