The President: The future of the Western Balkans lies within the European Union

President Gitanas Nausėda participated in the European Union-Western Balkan Summit in Tivat, Montenegro, which focused primarily on the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union, strengthening security and resilience in the region, and promoting European stability and shared prosperity.

This year's summit was held in Montenegro, which is marking the 20th anniversary of the restoration of its independence. According to President Gitanas Nausėda, this symbolically reflects both the country's progress on the path to European integration and the European perspective of the entire Western Balkans region.

"The Western Balkans are an integral part of Europe's future. European Union enlargement remains one of the most important geopolitical tools for strengthening peace, stability, and security on our continent," said the President.

The Head of State emphasized that Lithuania consistently supports the European perspective of the Western Balkans, and that EU enlargement is among Lithuania's top priorities of its 2027 Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"Lithuania will seek to strengthen the unity of the European Union and its role as a reliable, resilient, and influential actor in global politics, capable of defending its interests and values," Gitanas Nausėda pointed out.

Speaking about the enlargement process, the President emphasized that it has to remain merit-based, anchored to reforms, respect for European Union values, and a clear strategic direction.

"Full alignment of candidate countries' foreign policy with the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy, including sanctions against Russia and its enablers, is a key indicator of strategic course," the President emphasized.

He also noted that merit-based enlargement also means strengthening resilience more broadly. Therefore, it is important to reduce dependencies on countries that do not adhere to European values and pose threats to the security of the European Union, to ensure responsible screening of investments from third countries, and to avoid dependencies in sensitive technology and defense sectors.

The meeting focused heavily on security and resilience issues. President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized that Russia is actively seeking to influence the Western Balkans region through disinformation, sabotage, and other hybrid measures.

"It is essential to strengthen societal resilience, invest in countering disinformation, and reinforce democratic institutions. Lithuania is ready to share its experience in this area," said the President.

Gitanas Nausėda noted that the European Union remains the main investor, trading partner, and supporter of the Western Balkans region, so it is important that this message be clearly heard by people throughout the region.