Lithuania’s support for Ukraine is an example for the rest of the EU, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Vilnius on May 9 as the nation marked the 20th anniversary of its EU membership. “You opened your homes to thousands of refugees and gave them full access to your economy. You crowdfunded to buy drones and radars for the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” von der Leyen said in her speech at the Lithuanian parliament. “And in proportion to GDP, Lithuania is one of the largest donors to Ukraine in the whole world. You are leading Europe by the power of your example. And today you are a true inspiration for all Europeans,” she said.
Von der Leyen quoted the story of Konstantin Gudauskas, a Lithuanian journalist who was allowed to move out of the Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine when the war began in 2022 but chose not to flee. This shows how much Lithuania “cares for Ukraine’s fight for freedom”, according to von der Leyen. “Instead, he decided to travel back and forth with his car, risking his own life, to save as many people as possible. He defied Russian bombs and checkpoints, and he brought to safety over 200 Ukrainian civilians. And now they call him ‘the angel of Bucha’,” she said.
Von der Leyen argued that it took Europe too long to “wake up” to Russia’s threat.
“For many years, Lithuania warned Europe about the dangers of a revanchist Russia. After 2014, you told us that Putin would simply not stop. And Europe should have listened. It took us too long to wake up to the threat of Putin’s Russia.”
“But today our union stands firmly at your side, for freedom and against aggression.”
In 2021, von der Leyen said, the EU’s eastern member countries faced an influx of migrants from Belarus, “but Europe stood united, and together we tackled the crisis”.
“And now we are joining forces again to boost our defence industry, with legislation here in the Seimas that resonates with our European Defence Industrial Strategy,” she said.
Von der Leyen noted that over 90 percent of Lithuanians voted in favour of joining the European Union in a referendum more than 20 years ago. “And that choice has transformed not only your country but all of Europe. Because with your accession, our union went back to its roots,” she said, and its history of resistance has made the nation unique.
The Commission’s president said Lithuania “had always been at the centre of European history”.
Von der Leyen described Lithuania as “a strong player in Brussels and a strong partner for all other capitals” and as “movers and shakers in European politics”, a country of innovators and entrepreneurs, with Vilniuss a growing tech hub, which attracts people and investments from abroad,” she said. Lithuania’s GDP has jumped from 50 percent of the EU average to almost 90 percent.
During the visit, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Von der Leyen discussed the enhancement of ES defence manufacturing and expansion of the ES, with attention to beginning membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. They stressed that every effort to support Ukraine must continue.
President Gitanas Nausėda and the European Commission president also spoke about increasing sanctions against Russia, the use of its frozen funds, and ES expansion.
