Vice-Minister Mitkus at the Paris Peace Forum: strengthening Europe’s autonomy requires reducing external dependencies and internal barriers to growth and increasing investment
On 11 November, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigitas Mitkus took part in a discussion entitled “How Autonomous Should Europe Be?” at the Paris Peace Forum.
In his remarks, the Vice-Minister stressed that Europe’s autonomy is best defined by its capacity to take the action necessary to achieve the goals it has set itself.
“Dependence on a single supplier of energy and critical raw materials can hinder our ability to address emerging threats. Our country’s successful efforts to achieve complete energy independence from Russia are a clear example of this,” said Mitkus.
The Vice-Minister emphasised that it is also essential to work purposefully with partners to strengthen the individual capabilities of states, while ensuring both comprehensive support for Ukraine and stronger European defence capabilities.
The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that striking the right balance between openness and autonomy is crucial to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness.
“We must remove structural and financial barriers within the European Union, reduce fragmentation of the Single Market and agree on an ambitious future EU budget. During its Presidency of the Council of the EU, Lithuania will devote considerable attention to these issues,” stressed Mitkus.
The discussion also featured President of the European Central Bank Christine Lagarde, French Minister for Europe Benjamin Haddad, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset, and Member of the European Parliament Sandro Gozi. The discussion was moderated by POLITICO Executive Editor Marion Solletty.
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