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Today, on 23 June, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys is participating in the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) in Brussels. EU foreign ministers will discuss the situation in the Middle East, sanctions against Russia, support for Ukraine, and the deteriorating situation in Georgia.

"Iran, which is developing nuclear weapons, is, of course, an existential threat to Israel and a significant threat to the entire international community. We must avoid this, and the window of opportunity to do so is closing. We urge diplomatic actions and pressure on Iran to choose a peaceful path," said the Lithuanian Foreign Minister to journalists before the meeting.

Speaking about the situation in Ukraine, the minister emphasized that Europe must prove it stands by its word.

"It has been 140 days since Ukraine agreed to unconditional ceasefire, 44 days since Europe warned Putin on May 9 that if an unconditional ceasefire is not achieved, strict sanctions will be imposed. Therefore, we must agree on the 18th sanctions package, which includes energy, shadow fleet, both Nord Stream pipelines, and other sectors. If we do not do this now, there will be no credible ultimatums in the future," said Budrys.

With the FAC taking place on the eve of the NATO summit, the Lithuanian Foreign Minister also spoke about what decisions are expected in The Hague.

"We are awaiting a historic decision – agreement to allocate 5% of GDP to defence, but we must be more ambitious in achieving this goal. The current deadlines are not ambitious enough. Our goal is to achieve the set targets by 2030, and in Lithuania, we will exceed 5% already next year," said Budrys.

The minister also emphasized that for Lithuania it is important to reaffirm at the NATO summit that the main direct long-term military threat is Russia.

Full statement by the minister: https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/events/20250623-foreign-affairs-council-june-2025/149483-arrival-and-doorstep-lt-budrys-20250623