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On Thursday, 20 August, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs met in Rīga with Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius, who was paying his first foreign visit to Latvia since taking office. During the meeting, the two heads of government reaffirmed the close partnership between Latvia and Lithuania and agreed to continue working together in four key areas: strengthening security, promoting economic growth, developing transport connectivity and supporting Ukraine.
“We are the only two Baltic peoples, close allies and good neighbours. We work together in the European Union, NATO and other international organisations; together we safeguard and develop the Baltic region,” Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs emphasised following the meeting.
During the talks, particular attention was paid to the instrumentalization of migration by Russia and Belarus, which poses a significant hybrid threat to the security of the Baltic States. The Prime Minister briefed his Lithuanian counterpart on Operation ‘VILKATIS’, recently launched in Latvia, which, following five years of combating illegal migration, is aimed at addressing its root causes rather than merely its consequences. The Prime Minister thanked Lithuania for its support in strengthening Latvia’s border, including the involvement of a unit of Lithuanian border guards.
“Latvia and Lithuania are fighting this hybrid threat together. We will continue our close cooperation between the relevant services to protect the border more effectively and ensure the safety of our citizens,” said Andris Kulbergs.
Economic cooperation was also a key focus of the talks between the two prime ministers. Lithuania is Latvia’s largest trading partner, and both countries are keen to continue attracting foreign investment and promoting economic growth across the Baltic region. The officials also expressed a shared view on opportunities for closer cooperation in the field of culture.
The talks also covered the next European Union multiannual budget, as well as future cooperation between Latvia and Lithuania in connection with Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in 2027. Both countries share similar priorities – ensuring sufficient funding for border regions on the Eastern Flank, security and defence, cohesion, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the implementation of the ‘Rail Baltica’ project.
The heads of government also discussed the implementation of the ‘Rail Baltica’ project. The Prime Minister presented Latvia’s perspective and proposals to his Lithuanian counterpart, which were prepared taking into account, among other things, an assessment by independent consultants. Latvia aims to ensure more efficient implementation of the project in terms of time, costs and management. The Prime Minister emphasised that a key prerequisite for achieving these objectives is coordination among the Baltic States at the highest possible level. He also proposed holding regular high-level meetings of the Baltic States to discuss and coordinate the most important issues concerning the project.
During the talks, the Prime Minister also briefed his Lithuanian counterpart on recent decisions regarding ‘airBaltic’.
In conclusion, the heads of government reaffirmed their shared position on the need to continue providing comprehensive support to Ukraine, as well as to maintain and intensify pressure on Russia and Belarus.
