News

On 18 October, the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Jovita Neliupšienė attended the General Affairs Council in Luxembourg, which discussed preparations of the European Council meeting on 20-21 October, as well as the EU institutional and future issues.

In the run-up to the upcoming European Council meeting, the participants discussed the issues concerning Russia's aggression and support for Ukraine, the energy and economic situation in Europe, and the EU’s relations with China.

“We are at a turning point now. Russia escalates its aggression on Ukraine, attacks Ukraine’s strategic infrastructure as winter approaches and blackmails the whole world with nuclear weapons. Thus, Ukraine needs support from the EU and its member states more than ever before, first of all, military and financial assistance,” Neliupšienė said. She also called for preventing the circumvention of sanctions and for a further tightening of the sanctions on both Russian and Belarusian regimes.

According to Neliupšienė, we must create a Special Tribunal to prosecute the crime of Russia's aggression and crimes against humanity. After assessing Russia’s accountability, we would have legal reasons to use frozen Russian assets to rebuild Ukraine.

Great attention was also dedicated to measures to combat rising energy prices in Lithuania and Europe. “As winter approaches, we need urgent European measures on the gas price ceiling and a compensation mechanism at EU level. Hopefully, a solution based on European solidarity will contribute to a well-functioning internal market,” said Neliupšienė.

The Foreign Vice-Minister also stressed that the EU should assess China’s position on the war in Ukraine. This should have an impact on the future relationship between China and the EU as a whole.

During a debate on the reform of the elections to the European Parliament, Neliupšienė welcomed the EP’s proposals for smoother electoral processes and making voting more convenient for citizens, which would increase voter participation. She also noted that Lithuania was critical of the EP’s proposal to establish a common EU-wide constituency and to use transnational lists of candidates, and that different constitutional provisions of member states should be evaluated.

The Council also held an exchange of views on the EP’s proposal to convene a Convention for the revision of the EU Treaties. In Lithuania’s view, today, as the EU faces security, energy and economic challenges, we should refrain from institutional disputes and focus on solving specific problems that concern our citizens, especially in areas where we can reach a consensus and strengthen the EU’s unity.