News

On 29 October, Vice-Minister Sigitas Mitkus met Raffaele Fitto, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Cohesion and Reforms. The meeting focused primarily on negotiations on the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028–2034 and the needs of the eastern border regions.

“The future Multiannual Financial Framework must reflect today’s geopolitical realities. The EU budget must provide sufficient funding for defence, competitiveness and military mobility, while maintaining a strong cohesion policy. It is also important to adequately address the needs of Member States and regions bordering Russia and Belarus,” said Mitkus.

The Vice-Minister thanked Fitto for the European Commission’s attention to the challenges facing the EU’s eastern border regions and for the Communication of 18 February 2026 on the EU’s eastern regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. He stressed that the objectives set out in the Communication must be reflected in the future Multiannual Financial Framework.

The meeting also addressed the European Commission’s forthcoming “Right to Stay” strategy, which aims to create the conditions for people to remain in their home regions and build their future there. Mitkus emphasised that secure, economically strong and investment-friendly EU regions are in the interests of the European Union as a whole. It is important to ensure that the strategy and future EU financial instruments adequately take into account the needs of all EU regions, including the eastern border regions.

Vice-Minister Mitkus noted that during Lithuania’s Presidency, efforts will be made to ensure a smooth process of negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework so that the new EU funding period can begin on time.