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On May 13, a conference was held at the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the European Union (EU) to address current issues regarding the EU’s Eastern Flank and to foster political discussion on the Eastern Flank as a crucial component of the EU’s 360-degree security framework.

"Strong Eastern Flank is a central backbone of strong Europe," - emphasized Lithuania’s Permanent Representative to the EU, Ambassador Nerijus Aleksiejūnas, as he opened the event.

In his address, Minister of National Defense Robertas Kaunas stated that our region forms the external border of the EU and NATO with Russia and Belarus — we are not only the most vulnerable, but also Europe’s first line of defense.

EU Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius told conference participants in his address that at a time when Russia continues its military operations against Ukraine and Iran’s war poses threats to the countries of the Southern Flank, the Eastern Flank plays a very important and very special role. He also emphasized that Ukraine is defending all of Europe, and first and foremost the regions of the Eastern Flank, and that the Eastern Flank has a strategic goal: to ensure that we do not have to live under the constant threat of an authoritarian and aggressive Russia.

Participants in the discussions addressed solutions to the challenges facing the EU’s Eastern Flank through EU defense initiatives, the role of the Eastern Flank in the Union’s overall defense architecture, close cooperation between the EU and NATO, and how to avoid a fragmented “two-speed” security model.

Representatives from the defense ministries of Estonia, Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania, responsible for defense policy, participated in the discussions. Insights were also provided by James Appathurai, Deputy Assistant Secretary General of NATO; Dr. Martin Schäfer, Germany’s Ambassador to the Political and Security Committee; and representatives of think tanks and the academic community from France, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

By the end of May, member states need to submit projects of common European defense interest to the European Commission for funding under the European Defense Industrial Program. One such project is dedicated to the defense of the Eastern Flank (Eastern Flank Watch), with the aim of enabling countries in the Eastern region to address critical shortfalls in military capabilities as quickly as possible.

Full address of EU Commissioner A. Kubilius: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_26_1073