On 17 April, the European Commission published the annual Enlargement package, as well as assessed progress on reforms in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius highlighted the importance of the EU open door policy and welcomed progress made by South-eastern European countries.

Lithuania, along with Australia, Bangladesh, Benin, Burundi, Djibouti, Cameroon, Canada, Luxembourg, Morocco, Mexico, Mongolia, Pakistan and France, has been elected as member of the Executive Board of the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for the 2019-2021 term.

"Our response to Russian provocations after the events in Salsbery remains united and coordinated, we all understand the need to strengthen the resilience of our countries in the face of modern threats. The role of the European External Action Service’s Eastern Strategic Communications Division (StratComm) is particularly important – we need to evaluate the work of this team and to constantly improve it," said Linkevičius in a discussion on relations with Russia, during which EU Foreign Ministers discussed prospects for the near future and further joint actions following the events in the city of Salisbury, the United Kingdom.

“It’s important to condemn the use of chemical weapons in Syria, but that is not enough. The targeted airstrikes on chemical weapons facilities of 14 April were necessary steps for encouraging the Syrian regime and its supporters to seek a political solution to the conflict,” the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius said at the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 April in Luxembourg.

Lithuanian MFA supports actions by the US, UK and France against the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons facilities. Use of chemical weapons in Syria crossed all possible red lines. Those responsible for use of chemical weapons against civil population, including children, must be held accountable.

On 12 April, the first Lithuania-Saudi Arabia business forum took place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The participants signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at promoting bilateral business relations between the two countries.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Lithuania are pleased to announce the contest for the first Balts’ Award.

The aim of the Balts’ Award is to recognise the excellence and achievements related to individual contribution and accomplishment in promotion of Latvian-Lithuanian and Lithuanian-Latvian translations, teaching and enhancing the use of Latvian and Lithuanian languages, research on the Latvian and Lithuanian tangible and intangible cultural and historic heritage, as well as investigative journalism on Latvian and Lithuanian history, culture and tourism.