The President presented the priorities of the first half of the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2027, and the heads of state also discussed bilateral relations, the security situation in Europe, and issues of historical memory.

According to the President, Lithuania will take over the presidency of the European Union in the middle of the political cycle, and therefore will have to continue and complete a wide range of legislative and other initiatives.

"We will pay special attention to strengthening EU unity and ensuring that the Union remains a reliable, resilient and influential global actor, capable of defending its interests and values. Lithuania will strive for the EU to continue to be a strong pillar of the rules-based international order, effectively address long-term geopolitical, demographic and economic challenges, and strengthen citizens' trust in the European Union project," said the Lithuanian leader.

In the area of ​​security and defense, according to the President, priority EU initiatives, such as the European Unmanned Aircraft Defense System and the Eastern Flank Monitoring Mechanism, will be intensively implemented, and important decisions in the areas of military mobility and cybersecurity will be overseen.

"We expect further progress in the negotiations on EU membership with Ukraine and Moldova, as well as with Montenegro and Albania. Lithuania will seek to create conditions that would allow the start of work on the preparation of an accession treaty with Ukraine and Moldova," the President said.

At the meeting, the head of state also emphasized that Lithuania pays special attention to issues of historical memory, as the preservation of Europe's historical memory requires focused efforts, especially today.

"Soviet and Nazi crimes must be recognized, internationally assessed, and made public. Europe must learn from history, especially since today's Russian aggression against Ukraine - accompanied by disinformation and historical revisionism - shows that impunity encourages further crimes," the President said.

The Lithuanian leader spoke about our country's aspiration to unveil a memorial in Brussels to all victims of totalitarian regimes of the 20th century, which would become a symbol of Europe's collective memory of its difficult past. Support from member states and EU institutions is being mobilized for this purpose, and the President also invited Romania to join the initiative.

Presidential Communications Group

Information updated 2026.05.13 17:00