During a visit by H.E. Lina Rukštelienė, Ambassador of Lithuania to Austria, the priorities of the new Lithuanian government as well as the issues of migration and security policy were discussed.

You can find the interview >>> here on our YouTube channel

Salzburg. Since 2021, Lithuania, which shares a border of almost 700 kilometers with Belarus, has a fortified border facility opposite the authoritarian state in order to contain and deter illegal migration to the EU controlled by Minsk. The fence was financed and built by Lithuania, and the EU and several EU states provided equipment such as cameras. The regime in Minsk is specifically trying to use force to smuggle migrants across the border into the EU in order to destabilize the countries of the European Union. The government in Lithuania also sees this as part of the hybrid war against Europe. Since the facility was built at the external border and through strict controls, illegal migration has been drastically reduced. 

For the new government under Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, which has been in office since the end of 2024, the focus will be on migration, as well as continued strong support for Ukraine, the expansion of European security policy and the strengthening of democracy in Europe. The country itself has committed to investing between 5 and 6% in its own defense capability starting next year.

In the conversation and also in the interview, Ambassador Lina Rukštelienė emphasized that Lithuania is a very pro-European country and that people's approval rating for the EU is stable at over 80%. Lithuania is committed to the EU and will continue to be a supporter and partner.

You can find the interview >>> here on our YouTube channel