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On 11 March, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys, who was paying a working visit to the United Kingdom, participated in the international Aurora Forum.

When speaking at the opening panel discussion "Nothern Europe in the light of developments in Ukraine and US", the Foreign Minister stressed that in the current geopolitical situation, Europe urgently needs to take leadership and responsibility for its security through its actions and decisions.

"Europe has awakened and is taking responsibility for its security. We urgently need to move from well-meaning declarations to actions such as increasing defense spending, ensuring NATO capability targets are met, investing in defense industrial capabilities, and boosting military support for Ukraine. Our common goal must be a stronger and safer Europe, which will only be possible if Russia's aggression is stopped. A strong European stance and a united voice are vital now that the future of our security is being decided,” said the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy.

During the Forum, the Foreign Minister also participated in a round table discussion with representatives of the governments of the Nordic and Baltic Eight (NB8) and the United Kingdom. In the discussion, Budrys stressed the importance of Nordic-Baltic cooperation with the UK in ensuring regional security and achieving lasting and just peace in Ukraine. According to the Foreign Minister, it is necessary to strengthen and expand cooperation within the NB8 and UK format not only on security but also in other areas.

Founded in 2017, the Aurora Forum aims to promote closer cooperation between the UK and the Nordic-Baltic region. Every year, the Forum brings together the most influential representatives of politics, diplomacy, military, business, science, and non-governmental organizations from the United Kingdom and the Nordic and Baltic countries to discuss key issues of geopolitics, economy, innovation, environment, and sustainability.