Lithuania’s Foreign Vice-Minister Mitkus: “The EU needs to enhance resilience against hybrid threats and ensure an ambitious EU long-term budget post-2027”
On 17-18 February in Warsaw, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Sigitas Mitkus, attended the informal meeting of the EU’s General Affairs Council, organised by the current Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. At the informal meeting, the EU Ministers for European Affairs discussed hybrid threats, the next long-term budget and Europe’s preparedness in the context of security challenges.
Candidate countries, which also face similar challenges, especially in the context of EU enlargement, also participated in the discussion on hybrid threats. Ministers discussed the most effective response and prevention measures, highlighting the need to strengthen cooperation in countering disinformation, cyberattacks and other hybrid threats.
Ministers of EU member states discussed the EU’s post-2027 multiannual financial framework. This discussion provided an opportunity to express member states’ expectations and paved the way for further discussions.
Mitkus emphasised that the EU’s next long-term budget must find the right balance and respond to both traditional and new EU priorities. Also, “in order to respond to increasing challenges, EU political priorities and an ambitious strategic agenda, the future EU budget will have to be bigger and more ambitious – we need to strive for more than 1% of EU GNI”, stressed the Foreign Vice-Minister.
Ministers also exchanged views on Europe’s civilian and military preparedness and readiness for possible security challenges, based on the recent report presented by the former President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö. They discussed possible actions to strengthen the EU’s response to crises, with an emphasis on involving the non-governmental sector, civil society, and the general public.
The Foreign Vice-Minister shared Lithuania’s best practices in the fight against disinformation, underlining that our country applies a comprehensive public-inclusive approach to monitoring, analysing, and neutralising disinformation. This process involves not only state institutions but also non-governmental organisations, the media, and businesses. Mitkus also stressed that “in emergencies, municipalities are usually the first link, so we consistently strengthen and support them.”
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