Lithuania Prepares for EU Council Presidency: Minister M. Katelynas Discusses Priorities and Preparations with Irish Ambassador
Minister of the Interior Martynas Katelynas met with Irish Ambassador to Lithuania Séadhna MacHugh. The meeting focused primarily on Lithuania’s upcoming Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Ireland currently holds the Presidency for this six-month period.
Minister M. Katelynas thanked Ireland for its close cooperation and for sharing its experience of holding the Presidency, noting that this significantly contributes to Lithuania’s preparations.
“The upcoming Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union is one of the most important tasks of the near future, and we greatly appreciate Ireland’s openness and willingness to share its experience. The Presidency is not only a major responsibility but also an opportunity to contribute to the development of common European solutions. Lithuania is consistently preparing for this role – intensive organisational and political preparations are underway, the Presidency programme is being developed, and institutional capacities are being strengthened. We aim to ensure a smooth, professional and results-oriented Presidency, with particular attention to migration management, external border protection, strengthening internal security, crisis preparedness and increasing the resilience of the European Union. Lithuania is ready to act as a mediator, bringing Member States together to find common solutions that strengthen the security and resilience of the whole of Europe,” said Minister of the Interior.
In the first half of 2027, Lithuania will host ten expert-level meetings organised by the Ministry of the Interior, while thirteen additional events will be organised by institutions under the Ministry. One of the most important political events will be the informal meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers, which will take place in Vilnius on 28–29 January 2027.
The meeting also covered the key priorities of Lithuania’s upcoming Presidency. These include strengthening migration and external border management, enhancing EU internal security, increasing civil protection and crisis preparedness, and preparing for negotiations on the European Union’s 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework. Discussions on future challenges highlighted that negotiations may involve differing views among Member States regarding the EU’s role in the area of internal security, as well as approaches to hybrid threats and the instrumentalisation of migration.
Minister M. Katelynas stressed that recent events have once again demonstrated that migration is increasingly being used as a tool of hybrid pressure, and that the European Union’s response must be united, determined and ensure effective protection of its external borders.
Minister of the Interior and Ambassador S. MacHugh also exchanged views on the upcoming challenges in the area of home affairs and agreed to continue close cooperation between Lithuania and Ireland to ensure a smooth transition of the EU Council Presidency.