Lithuania to prioritise EU enlargement during its 2027 presidency

Lithuania will place European Union enlargement high on the agenda during its first-half 2027 presidency, President Gitanas Nausėda said after a meeting in Athens with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Enlargement, Ukraine and Moldova among priorities

“We know that the European perspective of the Western Balkans is a priority for your country, for Greece and we look forward to closely cooperating to keep enlargement high on the European agenda,” Nausėda said following the talks in Athens.

He added that Lithuania also “strongly supports the European perspective of Ukraine and Moldova and wants to see real progress in their accession process. The Western Balkans also remain an important part of Europe’s future. We welcome the progress made by Montenegro and Albania and believe the enlargement process must continue to be based on concrete reforms and merits,” expressing hope for close coordination with Greece on the issue.

The Lithuanian presidency of the EU runs in the first half of 2027; it will be followed by the Greek presidency in the second half of the year. Nausėda stressed that Lithuania will seek active cooperation with Athens to keep enlargement high on the Union’s agenda throughout both presidencies.

Observers say a presidency that prioritises enlargement could give fresh momentum to accession negotiations, but officials emphasise that advances must be tied to measurable reforms in candidate countries.

The meeting in Athens was part of a broader diplomatic push by Vilnius to rally EU partners ahead of its presidency and to underline support for both the Eastern Partnership countries and Western Balkan aspirants.

Photo: press material from the event