Mindaugas Sinkevičius after Meeting with U. von der Leyen: Securing Eastern Flank Has to Be an EU-Wide Matter
As part of his working visit to Brussels, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius had a meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, where he focused on the need to expand EU’s joint defence initiatives.
“We are responsible for protecting the EU’s and NATO’s external borders, and we are increasingly feeling the effects of Russia’s war in Europe. I am convinced that strengthening air defence is now an urgent priority. We welcome all the EU initiatives undertaken so far and propose further strengthening the Union’s collective efforts based on a fundamental principle: securing the EU’s eastern-flank borders and airspace is an EU-wide matter,” said Mindaugas Sinkevičius.
Lithuania seeks adequate and sustainable funding to address the security and defence needs of the eastern-flank states, including under the European Union’s 2028–2034 financial framework. The Prime Minister stressed that the EU’s next multiannual financial framework must reflect the changed geopolitical reality and the specific needs of the EU’s eastern border regions. According to Prime Minister Sinkevičius, additional funding should be allocated to eastern-flank member states for investments in protecting the EU’s external borders not only against military and hybrid threats but also against the weaponisation of irregular migration.
The Prime Minister reiterated Lithuania’s commitment to continue investing more than 5% of GDP in strengthening national defence and allocating at least 0.25% of GDP to support Ukraine. According to the Prime Minister, as investment in security continues, it is important to ensure the extension of fiscal exemptions related to defence spending.
The meeting also covered Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2027 and the country’s priorities: strengthening EU security and defence, boosting the Union’s competitiveness, advancing EU enlargement, and supporting Ukraine.
“Our shared goal is to continue building a secure and competitive economy. By investing in public well-being, we also strengthen the resilience of our societies,” Mindaugas Sinkevičius said after the meeting with the European Commission President.
Lithuania seeks to ensure adequate funding for Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, as well as strong EU support for strategic infrastructure and military mobility. Rail Baltica and Via Baltica happen to be among the strategic projects requiring adequate EU funding, noted Mindaugas Sinkevičius.
The Prime Minister pointed out the need to increase overall EU support for Ukraine, devastated by Russia’s war, and to keep up pressure on Russia. He has also expressed Lithuania’s dedication to advance EU enlargement process during its presidency of the Council of the EU, with particular attention to Ukraine’s and Moldova’s determination to move forward with their EU accession negotiations.
The Prime Minister invited U. von der Leyen to co-host a high-level European Security and Resilience Forum in Vilnius as part of Lithuania’s presidency of the Council of the EU, focusing in particular on the security needs of the eastern-flank states and practical measures to address them.
Last updated: 29-09-2026
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