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Good morning.

Today, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, visiting Lithuania at the Lithuania Belarus border.

Now we are beginning the press conference of the President of Lithuania and the President of the European Commission.

I would like to invite the President of Lithuania, Gaetano Manfredi, to begin. Ministers, ladies and gentlemen.

First of all, I sincerely thank you, Madam President,

for coming to Lithuania today and visiting our border with Belarus,

the external border of the European Union.

Your presence here is a powerful signal of European solidarity.

It demonstrates that the security of Lithuania is the security of the entire European Union.

Today's meeting clearly demonstrates our shared commitment to defending the eastern border

of our Union and to strengthening the resilience of Europe as a whole.

Lithuania, together with Latvia, Estonia, Finland and Poland,

stands at the front line of this effort.

Our task is both urgent and long term to deter threats,

to strengthen resilience and to secure borders in Europe.

The Baltic Defense line and the Eastern Shield are not only national initiatives,

they are projects of common European interest.

The threats we face are real hostile combat drones,

hybrid attacks and the constant pressure of illegal migration on our borders.

The safe instrument provides us with the means to respond.

Lithuania's estimated needs amount to 8 billion investments that will strengthen our national defense,

fortify the Baltic defense line and support Ukraine.

We also highly value the Commission's initial proposal for the multiannual financial framework,

which foresees substantial financing for security and defense.

We encourage maintaining this ambition across all EU instruments.

I would like to underline the importance of military mobility.

The swift movement of military forces and equipment across EU Member States is critical.

We welcome the Commission's proposal to significantly scale up financing military mobility in

the next EU MFF and its ambition to further improved regulatory and procedural framework. We also discussed Ukraine. Security guarantees for Ukraine are indispensable.

Military assistance must be increased, and sanctions against Russia must be strengthened.

The 19th sanctions package must target key areas such as Rosatom,

oil and gas, banking, and the shadow fleet, of course.

Security guarantees must be credible,

a strong Ukrainian army combined with a substantial European and transatlantic presence. Lithuania is ready to contribute.

Finally, Ukraine's accession to the European Union is both a strategic necessity and a moral duty.

EU membership is also a security guarantee for Ukraine.

The year 2030 must stand as a target for Ukraine's membership.

Mr President, von der Leyen der Ursula,

I want to thank you for your personal leadership and tireless engagement.

Together we are sending a strong message Europe stands united and ready to defend freedom.

Mr President, I invite the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to deliver her statement. Thank you very much, Mr.

President, thank you for the very warm welcome here. Yesterday you celebrated Lithuania's Freedom Day.

32 years ago the last Russian troops left Lithuania,

putting an end to decades of Soviet occupation.

Today, Europe fully stands with Lithuania as a frontline state.

You face Russia in Kaliningrad, you face Belarus on your border,

you live under geopolitical and economic pressure,

as well as constant military and hybrid threats.

The instrumentalisation of migrants, for example, is something Lithuania knows all too well.

I heard that last month 2 drones crossed the border with Belarus.

All in all, let me reassure you that, as Lithuania is being tested.

Europe as a whole is being tested.

We are with you in all possible ways,

and this is also one of the reasons why I am very glad to be here with you today.

We have already made it possible to redirect cohesion

funds to address economic and security challenges at the border.

Now, as you mentioned, looking at the next long term European budget,

we have proposed triple investment in migration and border protection,

so a strong focus on that topic.

We want that Member States with a direct border

with Russia and Belarus will also receive additional European funding.

It is in the European interest that we have the protection of the border here.

Because Europe's borders are a shared responsibility, the Lithuanian border is a European border.

Overall, if we look at the long term budget, if we look at the defense topic,

we have proposed a fivefold increase in defense investment.

A tenfold increase in funding for military mobility, you have mentioned the importance of military mobility, specifically here for Lithuania,

and let me reassure you that cohesion policy will remain at the heart of our budget.

So what I want to say is that we

continue to support both border security and strong livelihoods.

Now, while the next budget is in the face of negotiations,

we need to move rapidly now and efficiently to improve our defense posture.

We cannot wait for the new budget we have to act now already.

As you know,

together we have enabled financial support of 800 billion that we have together agreed.

It is the national scape clause and it is the safe instrument,

800 billion that are accessible until 2030.

Now, if I take the safe instrument, it will focus on pan European defense projects,

for example, capabilities to counter drone attacks.

19 Member States have applied to SAFE, including Lithuania.

I am glad to say that the instrument has been fully subscribed, all EUR €150 billion and I was

glad to hear that the three Baltic states and Poland

are already preparing joint procurement for the Eastern Shield initiative.

This is an excellent investment of common European interest where we should focus on.

You also applied, of course, for the second instrument, the budgetary flexibility we call it national escape clause.

You are already among NATO's top spender by GDP,

and now you have requested more flexibility in the budget, like 15 other Member States do too.

Finally, it is important not only the funding,

but also the implementation of the funding and that we have a coherent approach.

Therefore, we will present in fall to the European Council a roadmap.

About what is necessary to strengthen our defense posture, what our gaps, what capabilities are needed, what are our milestones,

what are our targets, because we know only what we can measure really gets done finally.

Titans having broken free from Soviet oppression.

Lithuania deeply understands Ukraine's fight for survival.

You have been a staunch supporter from day one on,

and I want to thank you for your support and the generosity towards our brave.

This includes your new plan to allocate 200 million more to the Ukrainian armed forces,

as announced last week. This is excellent news.

And you mentioned the security guarantees, indeed,

we are working on them together in the coalition of the willing.

Important is the first line of defense of security guarantees for Ukraine in peacetime,

is a strong Ukrainian army, well equipped and experienced army.

The second line of defense would be a multinational group from the coalition of the willing,

with the backstop of the Americans,

and the third important line of defense is our own defense posture. Of course, I want to mention.

You can also call a security guarantee membership in the European Union for Ukraine,

so this is the whole package we are together working on here.

Deyana, today I am here to reaffirm.

Europe's indefectible solidarity with Lithuania,

because Europe needs a strong youth Lithuania to protect our borders and our people.

I know that Europe can count on you,

and I know that I can count on you and the Lithuanian people personally. Thank you very much. Now we have time for.

I invite you to the microphone to introduce yourself, ask a question and tell to whom you address it. For President of the European Commission.

Yesterday announced that in the next seven year financial perspective,

more funds will be allocated for migration and border management in countries that share borders with Russia and Belarus.

However, those are long term plans, so.

What can the European Union do now, considering that the threats at the borders are growing and evolving,

and I am referring to the upcoming ZAI military exercises in several recorded cases of drones flying into Lithuania from Belarus.

And one more question for both what can Lithuania expect from the European Union? As you rightly said.

The long term structural answer is the new modern budget, and as I've explained, we put a strong focus on defense and border protection by drastically increasing the funding, but of course we have to act now,

and the two instruments that are at our disposal for defense and border protection right

now is the safe instrument and For the member states nationally,

the national escape clause.

We have already achieved a lot to help Lithuania cope with the constant pressure in the current budget.

Lithuania has a €357 million EU program that is dedicated to border management and visa policy.

We have implemented it or we have agreed on it in 2021.

And since then we have on a regular basis added money to it,

for example, to boost surveillance capacities, tracking the trains.

I just could see one of the trains going through Lithuania between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad,

but also the financing of the purchase of a helicopter, for example, so these are very concrete examples.

Finally, to cope with the migratory pressure.

We have made available almost 135 million to Lithuania to finance electronic, state of the art,

border surveillance systems, so you see a lot has been done specifically for Lithuania.

Then there is the second layer of instruments now, like safe,

and then there will be the next European long term

answer that is the new budget for the European Union.

We are committed to improving the security of our state border, and Madam President already mentioned the safe instrument,

which is especially important right now, and as I mentioned,

Lithuania has applied for €8 billion from this financial instrument.

€7 billion will be dedicated to establishment and development of our national division until 2030.

About €1 billion will be dedicated to the strengthening of our border

and exactly building the Baltic defense line together with our neighbor Poland.

So I think those resources will come immediately.

They will be spent in the most efficient way.

And Lithuania understands the situation now is very dangerous, very fragile, and we have to be able to detect the

UAVs which are crossing from time to time our border,

and we should be able to shoot them down if needed.

So this is about the safety of our people and we take this very seriously. Last question. How Frozen Russian central.

Or we I think there's a,

there we are.

We welcome the Lithuanian proposal in general, as you know, what we do right now,

we take the windfall profits from the mobilized assets and we directly channel them to Ukraine,

either for defense matters or for reconstruction matters.

So far, €3.7 billion have been generated by windfall profits,

and more is to come on a regular basis.

But we are also reflecting on the next steps and best use of these assets, because one thing is very clear Russia,

the predator,

has to be held accountable for what it did and has to pay.

Has to pay for the damage and for the aggression, that has to be the principle,

and therefore we are looking into an additional use of the windfall profits that are immobilized.

Committed to require the use of frozen assets because the windfall profits was a good idea.

It was a good idea, but it's not enough.

We are talking about catastrophic losses Russia is responsible for human lives, infrastructure, buildings,

transport infrastructure, and Russia,

as a country which is responsible for this war, should pay.

So we will be consistently trying to convince some skeptical countries which are still considering the idea of the use of frozen assets,

and they hope that at the end of the day we will have the final result. Good, good.