K. Vaitiekūnas ahead of the Eurogroup meeting: free movement of goods is the backbone of the global economy and our prosperity, and coordinated EU measures are needed to address the Middle East crisis
Ahead of the Eurogroup meeting, in a doorstep statement, Minister of Finance Kristupas Vaitiekūnas stressed the need for coordinated measures at EU level to address the challenges posed by the Middle East crisis to the EU economy.
“Free movement of goods is the backbone of our global economy and our prosperity, and the Strait of Hormuz must be opened as soon as possible. Energy prices must also be low to ensure our prosperity. In the long term, Europe and Lithuania should strive for energy independence. We are doing a lot in Lithuania for this purpose, and I think that in a few years we will achieve this. However, it is now crucial to have some countermeasures in place if this crisis develops. We agree with the Commission that these measures must be targeted and temporary", Kristupas Vaitiekūnas said.
When asked by the journalists about U.S. President Donald Trump's statements that the U.S. would reduce the number of troops in Germany, the Minister did not speculate on the reasons for the withdrawal of troops from Germany, adding that, as Minister of Finance of Lithuania, he would like to see as many troops of international partners as possible on the Eastern border of the EU.
For more information, please see here: https://newsroom.consilium.europa.eu/permalink/270324
Last updated: 05-05-2026
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