Latvia and Lithuania agree to jointly push for an ambitious EU budget for 2028–2034
Foreign ministry officials from Latvia and Lithuania agreed at a meeting in Lithuania to keep working together on the 2028–2034 EU budget, with sufficient funding for security and Rail Baltica. They also discussed support for Ukraine, sanctions on Russia and pressure on Belarus.
Representatives of the foreign ministries of Latvia and Lithuania held a working coordination meeting on 19 October 2026 in Burbiškis, Lithuania. The Latvian delegation was led by Andžejs Viļumsons, State Secretary of the Latvian Foreign Ministry. The participants agreed to continue working together so that the European Union (EU) budget for 2028–2034 is ambitious and provides sufficient funding for security and defence, cohesion and agriculture. The news portal nra.lv reported the meeting, citing Latvia's Foreign Ministry.
Security and Ukraine
The delegations discussed regional security, support for Ukraine and the containment of Russia, stressing the need to strengthen sanctions. They also agreed that pressure should continue on Belarus to stop its instrumentalisation of illegal migration.
EU budget and infrastructure
Funding for security and defence should include strengthening the eastern border and the Rail Baltica project, given its importance for military mobility.
EU presidencies
The sides also discussed the priorities of Lithuania's EU presidency in the first half of 2027 and Latvia's preparations for its own EU presidency in the second half of 2028.
Transatlantic partnership and the UN
The parties agreed that close transatlantic partnership is indispensable for the security of the Euro-Atlantic area and noted the need to strengthen it. In this regard, it is important to ensure the presence of North Atlantic allies in the region and to support stronger and broader EU–Canada cooperation in various fields.
The officials also addressed developments in international organisations and Baltic interests, taking into account Latvia's membership of the UN Security Council. They stressed the need to keep the Ukraine issue on the Security Council's agenda and to continue close cooperation among the Baltic states and the NB8 (the Nordic-Baltic Eight) in international organisations.
