The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs is traveling to Finland, Estonia and Lithuania on Thursday 31 March and Friday 1 April.
In Finland, the Minister will meet the President of the Republic, Sauli Niinistö, his counterpart, Pekka Haavisto, and the Speaker of Parliament, Matti Vanhanen. They will discuss the European Union’s overall response to the war in Ukraine, in particular measures to assist Ukrainian refugees, options for tightening sanctions against Russia and the diversification of the country’s energy supply sources. European Union (EU). These meetings will also make it possible to deepen the dialogue and cooperation in the field of defense and security between France and Finland, which falls within the framework of the European Union.
In Estonia, the Minister will discuss with the President of the Republic, Alar Karis, as well as with his Estonian counterpart, Eva-Maria Liimets, the invasion of Ukraine, its consequences and the response of the European Union and NATO, ahead of the NATO ministerial meeting on April 6 and 7, as well as the EU Foreign Affairs Council on April 11. At the end of these bilateral meetings, the Minister will discuss these same issues in the context of a joint working meeting with his three counterparts from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, in the so-called “B3 + France” format. Finally, the Minister will have a bilateral meeting with his Latvian counterpart, Edgars Rinkevics, and will take part in a conference devoted to feedback from Estonia’s participation in the United Nations Security Council.
In Lithuania, the Minister will meet the President of the Republic, Gitanas Nausėda, and his Lithuanian counterpart Gabrielius Landsbergis. Ukraine, the regional security situation and the strengthening of NATO’s posture on the Alliance’s eastern flank, as well as France’s contribution to it, will be on the agenda of these talks. The exchanges will also focus on areas of development of our bilateral relations in strategic areas for the future and sovereignty. Finally, the minister will meet representatives of Belarusian civil society and non-governmental organizations in exile in Lithuania, to demonstrate France’s support in the face of the unacceptable authoritarian practices of the Belarusian regime.
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