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On 3 May in Skopje, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis, who is paying a working visit to North Macedonia, met with the country's Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani and noted that, in the face of Russia’s war against Ukraine, it was necessary to heed even more the EU integration aspirations of countries, living by European values, and to start formal accession talks with North Macedonia as soon as possible.

Landsbergis expressed Lithuania’s strong support for North Macedonia’s EU integration aspirations. According to Lithuania's Foreign Minister, a merit-based EU enlargement process is even more relevant today.

“We wish to see our Western Balkan partners as stable, friendly, democratic, and good neighbourly countries that have the opportunity to join the European family as soon as possible,” Landsbergis said.

“We can no longer delay starting accession talks with North Macedonia, otherwise we risk losing the trust not only of the citizens of this country, but we risk losing trust in the European Union itself,” Landsbergis noted.
 
In a meeting with Osmani, Lithuania's Foreign Minister noted that he greatly appreciated North Macedonia’s strong support for Ukraine and its condemnation of Russia’s actions. According to Lithuania's Foreign Minister, the joining by North Macedonia and other Western Balkan countries of the EU's package of sanctions against Russia allowed to unanimously urge Moscow to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine.

The meeting focused on the upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, Spain.

During his visit to Skopje, Landsbergis also met with the President of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski, the President of the AssemblyTalat Xhaferi, and the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs Bojan Marichikj.

On 4 May, Landsbergis will visit Albania, where he will meet with the Foreign Minister Olta Xhaçka.  

North Macedonia joined NATO in 2020. The country has been an EU candidate since 2005, but accession talks have not yet started.