On 26 May, following an invitation from the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, President Edgars Rinkēvičs, together with the President of the Republic of Estonia, Alar Karis, participated in in a joint meeting of the Baltic states’ presidents with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Vilnius, Lithuania.
The President of Latvia highlighted the security challenges and tensions in the European Union’s (EU) eastern border regions and, consequently, the need for broader EU support. “As Russia’s full-scale military operations in Ukraine continue, security challenges at the EU’s eastern border are growing. Strengthening security and civil protection, ensuring public welfare, and maintaining and promoting economic activity are all priority tasks for clearly demonstrating the EU’s united stance”, E. Rinkēvičs emphasised. The presidents of the Baltic states agreed that these priorities must be reflected both in the EU’s multiannual budget for the upcoming period from 2028 to 2034 and in immediate EU support programs.
The President of Latvia also thanked the President of the European Commission for the clear stance against Russia’s lies and disinformation campaign, as well as for the EU’s support to date. Particular attention during the discussion was devoted to accelerating the growth of Europe’s defence industry, promoting the development of Europe’s military capabilities, and integrating lessons learned from Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression into our own preparedness for crisis situations.
Press conference of the Presidents of The Baltic States and the President of The European Commission is available here.
