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On 29 May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys attended a Ministerial Session of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS).

Heads of diplomacy of ten countries and the European External Action Service discussed the strengthening of security in the region, the deterrence of Russia, and support for Ukraine, and reform of the CBSS to revitalize the organization so that it responds to current challenges. The Minister also observed special operations forces exercises focused on countering hybrid threats at sea in Gdynia and met with NATO's Assistant Secretary General Scott W. Bray.

According to the head of Lithuania's diplomacy, the recent airspace violations in the Baltic states, and today also in Romania, are not isolated cases, but part of a coherent and targeted activity.

“In the context of the war against Ukraine that has been actively supported by Russia and Belarus, Europe continuously faces acute security risks. We must be very clear: Russia and Belarus are responsible for drone incursions into our airspace that endanger civilians," Budrys said.

The Minister emphasized that the Baltic Sea region, which is constantly facing hybrid threats and is attacked by Russian disinformation networks, has developed vigilance and is one of the most resilient in Europe.

According to the Minister, Lithuania is consistently strengthening its capabilities to respond to airspace violations and prioritizes investments in air defence systems. Lithuania also called on its allies and partners to clearly identify the accountability of Russia and Belarus for drone incidents, to respond collectively to Russia’s disinformation campaign, to strengthen NATO’s vigilance  missions - the  Eastern Sentry and Baltic Sentry - also to shift from Air Policing to an Air Defence mission, and to complement existing capabilities with Counter-Unmanned Aerial System technology.

According to Budrys, there is also an urgent need to strengthen key EU initiatives such as the Eastern Flank Watch and the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) to better protect critical infrastructure.

Support for Ukraine was also discussed at the meeting.

“Today’s reality is black and white: Russia does not show any willingness to end the war – on the contrary, it escalates it. Thus, global security depends on Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and win, or on Russia being allowed to believe that aggression pays off. Ukraine's victory is necessary not only for its own survival, but also for the future of the entire Europe and of the international rules-based order. It is therefore our duty to ensure that Ukraine receives sufficient, comprehensive and long-term military, political, financial and humanitarian support," said Budrys.

According to the head of Lithuania's diplomacy, a financially and militarily strong Ukraine, which has successfully integrated into the EU, is a reliable security guarantee for both Ukraine itself and the European continent. Therefore, Lithuania will continue to be the most active supporter of Ukraine’s EU membership, aiming for all negotiating chapters to be opened without delay and for the implementation of reforms to be supported by instruments such as the Ukraine Facility.

The Minister also calls for the consistent integration of Ukraine's economy and defence capabilities into the EU space, the adoption of its war experience, and the use of regional formats, such as the Lublin Triangle, for even closer cooperation. According to Budrys, Ukraine’s EU membership is not just a gesture of solidarity. It is a strategic European security interest that must be realized by 2030.

The meeting presented an expert assessment of the CBSS's vision of how the organisation could adapt to an altered
geopolitical landscape. The Minister underlined that Lithuania sees the organisation's potential to become an effective political platform for discussing all issues relevant to the region and supports the proposal to expand the organisation's activities into a broader regional security dialogue, tactical coordination in EU and NATO formats, ensuring that the functions of other institutions are not duplicated.

The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) holds Ministerial Sessions once per year in the country holding the Presidency of the organisation. As of 1 July, Iceland takes over the helm of the CBSS from Poland.

The Minister thanked Poland and wished Iceland success in continuing the reform of the organisation.

Ministers also heard a presentation by representatives of the Baltic Sea Youth Forum and recommendations on strengthening the resilience of the region.