On 20 February in Gdansk, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius participated in the first Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Nordic Baltic Eight (NB8) and the Visegrad Group, and stressed the importance of regional cooperation of member states of the European Union.

“Nordic, Baltic and Central European countries together could have a greater weight in Europe and set an example to the Eastern Partnership countries that are resolved to join the EU,” the head of the Lithuanian diplomacy said.

Linkevičius stressed that the support of Nordic, Baltic and Central European countries is very important to Lithuania, as the country is preparing to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Foreign Ministers of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, known as the Nordic Baltic Eight (NB8), and Foreign Ministers of the Visegrad Group countries - Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic – also discussed Europe’s economic growth prospects, energy and transport cooperation, security, defence issues and the Eastern Partnership.

Both regional frameworks – the NB8 and the Visegrad Group – launched their activities in 1991. This year, Sweden coordinates the NB8 agenda and Poland holds the Presidency of the Visegrad Group.