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On 8 July, on the margins of the NATO summit in Ankara, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys held bilateral meetings with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Anita Orbán, Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić-Radman, and Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prévot.

In Ankara, Budrys also met with the U.S. Senators Richard Durbin and Lindsey Graham to discuss strengthening transatlantic relations, European security and continued support for Ukraine.

The meetings focused on possibilities for strengthening bilateral relations, European security issues, support for Ukraine, the EU enlargement, preparations for Lithuania's upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, cooperation within NATO and historical memory initiatives.

The conversation with the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Orbán, focused on the European integration of Ukraine. Budrys congratulated Hungary on the decisions taken to resume progress on Ukraine's EU accession process and stressed the need to open negotiations on the remaining five negotiating clusters as soon as possible.

“Ukraine today defends not only its own freedom, but also our freedom, as well as its sovereign right to choose its future in Europe. That is why we need to maintain the momentum we have already gained and open negotiations on another five clusters as soon as possible, in order to move Ukraine's EU membership process forward in a coherent and confident manner," said Budrys.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy thanked the Ministers of Hungary, Croatia and Belgium for their significant contribution to Lithuania's security. Croatian and Belgian troops serve in the multinational NATO Battle Group in Lithuania, while Hungarian and Belgian fighter jets have repeatedly participated in the Baltic Air Policing mission. During the meetings, the Minister also emphasized the need to strengthen NATO and EU air defence and counter-drone capabilities.

At the meeting with the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Grlić-Radman, Budrys discussed the EU's enlargement policy, highlighting the integration process between Ukraine and Moldova and the prospects for the membership of the Western Balkan countries in the Union. The Minister thanked Croatia for its support for the Pan-European Memorial project in Brussels.

Budrys invited the Belgian Foreign Minister Prévot to visit Vilnius and urged Belgium to consider resuming the functions of the embassy in Lithuania. The Ministers agreed to continue a close dialogue on bilateral, EU and international security issues, to develop political cooperation and to strengthen allied ties.