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Gitanas Nausėda and the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine discussed Ukraine's EU membership

President of the Republic of Lithuania

March 10, 2025

On Monday, President Gitanas Nausėda met with Ruslan Stefanchuk, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, who arrived in Lithuania. Their discussions focused on key issues, including regional security, Ukraine's EU membership, and support for Ukraine.

Gitanas Nausėda thanked Ruslan Stefanchuk for visiting Lithuania on 11 March, the day of the restoration of Lithuania's independence. "This day is of immense significance to us, symbolizing the restoration of Lithuania's freedom and sovereignty. Today, we stand in full support of the unwavering will, determination, and sacrifice of Ukrainians in their fight for freedom," President Gitanas Nausėda underlined.

The Lithuanian leader informed the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada that at last week's special European Council meeting on Ukraine and EU defense, he urged European leaders to provide Ukraine with real and firm security guarantees, rather than seek a quick ceasefire.

Gitanas Nausėda stressed that the most effective guarantee of Ukraine's security is its NATO and the European Union membership. The President reiterated the goal of accelerating Ukraine's integration into the EU and the proposal to set 1 January 2030 as the target date for membership. He stressed that to achieve this, the Verkhovna Rada will have to undertake significant homework—by preliminary estimates, at least 500 legal acts need to be adopted to meet EU membership criteria, with most of them to be passed by the end of 2027.

On possible peace talks, the President stressed that any agreement based on Russia's demands for Ukraine to adopt neutrality, to limit its armed forces, or to restrict its cooperation with the West would be detrimental to both Ukraine and Europe as a whole. Gitanas Nausėda reiterated that there can be no discussions about Ukraine without Ukraine, and no discussions about Europe without Europe.

The President also reaffirmed Lithuania's steadfast and consistent position on supporting Ukraine, emphasizing the need for long-term military commitments and greater economic pressure on Russia. "We need to impose new sanctions on Russia and redirect its frozen assets toward Ukraine's reconstruction. Russia must pay for its actions," the Head of State said.

The President's Communication Group