"We look forward to extremely close cooperation, both at bilateral level and within the framework of the European Union," declared Chancellor Angela Merkel following her meeting with the Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda in Berlin.

Further extending economic cooperation

At a joint press conference the Chancellor praised the extremely intensive cooperation with President Nausėda’s predecessor, Dalia Grybauskaitė. She declared that cooperation with the new President too would be close, cordial and intensive. 

Germany and Lithuania enjoy good economic relations, said the Chancellor, although "there is of course still scope to step them up further".  

NATO engagement in Lithuania

Angela Merkel pointed to Germany’s contribution to ensuring Lithuania’s security within the framework of NATO. Germany has been happy to accept a commitment to the country’s security under NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence. "We obviously intend to keep this up," she confirmed. This also applies to Germany’s engagement in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing. The Federal Republic of Germany has played an important supporting role in integrating the Southern Baltic state into the Euro-Atlantic structures.

Within the scope of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence, Germany began stationing a German contingent as part of the NATO Battlegroup in Lithuania in February 2017. Troops currently number 1,300, with about half of this number coming from the Bundeswehr.

Europe and Brexit

With regard to cooperation within the European Union, both countries are interested in "achieving as soon as possible a multiannual financial framework for the years to come," said Angela Merkel. 

She thus wished Finland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union every success. In October Finland is to put this matter at the top of the agenda when the European Council meets.

Brexit too was discussed and the two sides made it clear that "we would obviously like to see a withdrawal that will ensure a close partnership between the United Kingdom and the member states of the European Union."

Nausėda took office recently

The 55-year-old Gitanas Nausėda flew to Berlin on Wednesday for his inaugural visit. He took office on 12 July as President of Lithuania for a period of five years. During his visit to Germany he is also to meet Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The Republic of Lithuania lies in North-Eastern Europe and is home to about 2.8 million people. Lithuania is the largest of the three Baltic states and shares a border with Russia. The capital Vilnius is also the largest city in the former Soviet Republic, with a population of about 570,000. In 2004 Lithuania joined the European Union and NATO. Since 2015 it has also been part of the Eurozone.