Whenever we have been faced with exceptional circumstances, be it the migration crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic or Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine, we have been able to cope and, “most of the time, we have chosen more Europe, which means quicker decisions, more decisive action and more resilience”, said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on Tuesday 14 March, during a speech in the European Parliament hemicycle in Strasbourg.
Recalling some of the events that have shaped the history of Lithuanians as an “open, tolerant and advanced European nation”, Mr Nausėda assured that his country will do all it can to strengthen the European Union. For “we know better than anyone else what the risk of losing Europe means”, he stressed, referring in particular to the period of Soviet “occupation”.
The Lithuanian president also mentioned the initiative that his country, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Romania have been promoting since July 2022, which aims to shed light on “the crimes of communist regimes”, notably through research and education programmes and the creation of a memorial in Brussels dedicated to their victims.
Welcoming the determined action of Europe and “other freedom-loving nations” to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, Mr Nausėda noted that the Lithuanian State and civil society had provided support equivalent to 1.5% of the country’s GDP to Kyiv and stood ready to increase this assistance. He called for a strengthening of EU sanctions against Russia until the Kremlin ceases hostilities, for the establishment of an international tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression and for frozen Russian assets to be used to rebuild Ukraine.
A supporter of EU enlargement, the Lithuanian President said the Ukrainian authorities had already demonstrated their ability to carry out the necessary reforms on the road to membership. In his view, “unconventional” decisions will be needed on this matter, perhaps referring to a possible decision by the EU27 to open accession negotiations before the end of 2023.
And, added Mr Nausėda, “Moldova needs our help more than ever as it faces enormous political and energy pressure from pro-Russian forces”. Similarly, we need to “give hope” for a European future to Georgia’s young generation.
Competitiveness. The Lithuanian President recalled that the Spring European Council will be called upon to take decisions on strengthening European competitiveness, based on proposals to stimulate the development of the ‘net zero’ industry and to make the EU a leading player in the critical raw materials sector (see EUROPE 13140/12).
In early March, as part of the Competitiveness Council, 10 Member States – including Lithuania – made proposals to also strengthen economic competitiveness in the long term (see EUROPE 13133/1). This strategy “should include strengthening the single market and the technological and industrial base, removing the existing excessive barriers to the movement of goods, services and private capital, promoting international partnerships and rules-based trade”, with a particular focus on cooperation with countries in Africa, Latin America and the Indo-Pacific region, Mr Nausėda said.
According to him, Russia’s energy “blackmail” demonstrates the importance of accelerating the energy and climate transitions to reduce dependence on Russian hydrocarbons. “I am convinced that Lithuania’s decision to abandon the import of Russian energy supplies – gas, oil and electricity – is an example to be followed by other EU countries”, he concluded.
See Mr Nausėda’s speech: https://aeur.eu/f/5t7 (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)