News

Thursday, September 16, Brussels - The European Council approved strategic guidelines for the European Union's relations with Eastern Partnership countries. "On the Lithuanian initiative, the Baltic and Nordic countries put forward a common proposal to the European Council concerning Ukraine, which was later also supported by Poland. This demonstrates once again that a common position of the Baltic and Nordic countries may have a weighty say in the European Union," President Dalia Grybauskaitė said.

According to the President, the European leaders took note of Lithuania's view that Ukraine was a strategically important player in the EU's Eastern Partnership policy. The European Council Conclusions state that it is in the interests of the European Union that Ukraine prepare successfully for the conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement and later an Association Agreement with the EU.

The European Council also emphasizes the need to make progress in the area of human rights in Ukraine. Furthermore, the EU leaders approved their approach towards strategy of relations with Russia, the essence of which is full harmonisation of the country, with particular focus on the promotion of human rights and the development of new technologies.