Bilateral relations, energy prices, and Ukraine - at the focus of the meeting between Prime Ministers of Lithuania and Luxembourg
On Monday, 5 September, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė met with Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel to discuss the bilateral relations, the European security situation amidst Russia’s war against Ukraine, further support for Ukraine, energy prices, and cooperation on EU issues.
The Prime Minister noted the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Luxembourg and the bilateral relations, including cultural and people-to people contacts, which have been geared by the fact that the two cities - Kaunas and Esch-sur-Alzette - have served this year as European Capitals of Culture.
Ingrida Šimonytė said she was happy that the Prime Minister of Luxembourg would visit the Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Technology Centres of Vilnius University in the Sunrise Valley and learn about the ecosystem of Lithuanian startups, cooperation opportunities in the fields of life sciences, high technologies, and space technologies.
The Prime Minister of Lithuania thanked the Prime Minister of Luxembourg for the support responding to the security situation in this region and the needs of Lithuania - the reinforced participation in the mission of the NATO forward presence battalion, also for the assistance to Lithuania faced by the migration crisis on the Belarus border, and for the high-quality coordination on nuclear safety issues.
The counterparts also discussed the further strengthening of the NATO and EU response to Russia’s war in Ukraine, further support for Ukraine, the issue of the Astravyets Nuclear Power Plant, and Russia’s nuclear terrorism, raising tensions over the security of the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
‘We must not forget that there is a country in Europe whose suffering is greater than the increased electricity bills. It is important not to forget the real causes of all these challenges, which are Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Russia’s premeditated decisions to use energy blackmail against the West,’ said the Prime Minister.
Other issues discussed included illegal migration control at the EU level, and China’s challenge to rules-based international order.