The President: The key issue is common EU security

President Gitanas Nausėda met on Tuesday with António Costa, President of the European Council, who is visiting Lithuania.

The meeting focused on the most pressing issues of the new EU political season. The President emphasized that the key issue today is common EU security.

"Russia's war against Ukraine has shown that the EU must invest more in its security. However, we still dedicate insufficient attention and resources to this, particularly in developing defense industry capabilities," said the President, noting that Lithuania, by investing more than 5% of GDP in national defense next year, seeks greater EU-level engagement through the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) and the European Defense Industry Program (EDIP).

The President described the European Commission's proposal for the next multiannual financial framework as a solid basis for further negotiations. The proposal provides increased funding for defense and also focuses on military mobility, protection of critical infrastructure and resilience.

"The security and stability of the EU's eastern border states must remain a priority. More investment in our region is necessary to make it stronger and better prepared. This approach must include cohesion and the Common Agricultural Policy," the President said.

According to Gitanas Nausėda, specific funding must be allocated for the protection of energy infrastructure under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), and resilience standards must be strengthened across the EU. Efforts should also target disinformation and historical falsification, creating a common policy for the preservation of historical memory.

Speaking about the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, the President emphasized that illegal migration in the hands of hostile forces becomes a tool of hybrid influence. Therefore, it is necessary to continue strengthening the EU's external border protection and adopt rules reflecting new realities regarding migrant returns and the list of safe countries of origin.

The President stressed that the EU's efforts must also focus on strengthening its global role, beginning with support for Ukraine.

"Today, we see that Ukraine is fighting for all of us. While welcoming the United States' efforts to end Russia's war of aggression, we must recognize that long-term security for Ukraine and Europe can only be ensured through active EU engagement. Therefore, the EU must expand military support, and member states must provide Ukraine with reliable security guarantees," the President said.

Gitanas Nausėda called for increased pressure on Russia through the adoption of the 19th sanctions package, targeting its oil and gas revenues, Rosatom, the banking sector, and the shadow fleet, and also for the use of frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine. He also stressed the need to accelerate negotiations on EU membership for Ukraine and Moldova, aiming to complete them by 2030.

According to the President, the EU must assume greater responsibility for upholding the rules-based international order and firmly reject actions that violate international law. It is also necessary to strengthen existing and build new international partnerships across all continents, relying on the EU's track record as a reliable partner focused on long-term results.