Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said the European Union’s 2028–2034 budget will address “defence and security priorities” for Lithuania and the European Union, but lacks a clear focus on the eastern flank.
“What we find missing is a very clear and articulated inclusion of the eastern flank in that budget,” Nausėda said on Thursday ahead of an informal European Council meeting in Cyprus.
He added that the eastern flank, which includes the Baltic states and Eastern Europe, “protects the [EU’s] external border”.
Nausėda added that he expects these issues to be discussed in the “talks starting shortly.”
The Ministry of Finance stated last year that Lithuania would seek significant attention for the security of the bloc’s eastern border regions, sufficient funding for Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy, regional economic convergence, and challenges facing the eastern border during budget negotiations.
Last July, the European Commission presented a draft budget for 2028–2034 worth nearly 2 trillion euros, aimed at boosting competitiveness, supporting Ukraine, and satisfying traditional recipients of European funds, such as farmers.
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