Chancellor Friedrich Merz of the CDU welcomed Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausedas at the Chancellor’s office on Tuesday, receiving him with military honors. According to prior statements by the German government, the European Union Council Presidency, which Lithuania will take up in the first half of 2027, was set to be the central topic of the meeting. Key European political matters scheduled for discussion include the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the implementation of the competitiveness agenda, and EU enlargement. Furthermore, the Chancellor also intended to discuss matters of security and defense with President Nauseda, as these are planned to be a focus during Lithuania’s chairmanship.
The Lithuanian President is also in the capital city for the two-day Berlin Security Conference, where Lithuania serves as the partner country this year. The war in Ukraine is a central theme of the conference, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also in Berlin on Tuesday. He plans to meet with the Chancellor around noon.
