Minister Linkevičius in Berlin: Europe needs Eastern policy based on democratic values

On 25 October, Linkevičius attended the Transatlantic Strategy Group meeting Constructing a new Western Ostpolitik, which was co-organised by the US Centre for Transatlantic Relations, the German Council on Foreign Relations and the German Robert Bosch Foundation. The foreign minister acquainted the participants of the meeting with Lithuania’s position on the EU’s Eastern Partnership policy.

According to Linkevičius, Europe needs Eastern policy strategy, which would be consistently based on values and principles of democracy and the rule of law. According to Lithuania’s foreign minister, such a strategy should be active, not conniving at aggression and allowing to respond promptly to developments.

On 26 October, Linkevičius met with the Advisor on Foreign and Security Policy to the Federal Chancellor Christoph Heusgen to discuss assistance to Ukraine, the implementation of the Minsk agreements, a refugee problem and the situation in Syria.

Linkevičius underlined that the sanctions policy towards Russia must continue to be directly linked to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements. According to Lithuania’s foreign minister, at the same time all possible measures must be put in place seeking to ensure sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as to support Ukraine’s further rapprochement with the EU.