Lithuanian prime minister declines to comment on European Council participation or potential Trump meeting

Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė on Monday declined to comment on whether she would represent Lithuania at the European Council (EVT) or address reports of a potential meeting with former US President Donald Trump, stating her government is focused on “daily work and decisions,” LRT reports.

“We devote significant attention to examining our relationships. Today, together with the transport minister, we announced very important news to the public—that the government is working consistently to mitigate the difficulties people face today. We are concentrated on our work. Today, we would like to discuss that work,” Ruginienė told journalists in Vilnius.

The prime minister’s remarks follow a statement from the presidential office on Sunday clarifying that her participation in the European Council “is not under discussion.” Presidential advisors told the ELTA news agency there was “no subject for discussion” on the matter, while Chief Presidential Adviser Asta Skaisgirytė told Žinių Radijas there was “no possibility” of Ruginienė attending even part of the council’s meetings.

Last week, Ruginienė told news portal Lrytas she had no doubts about her competence to participate in European Council sessions. She suggested a compromise with the president’s office could be reached on representation but noted that EU-level rules now prevent the traditional division of responsibilities. “It would be very good if we had the old system where we could share duties by competence. I think we would truly agree and divide them. Unfortunately, the European level now has an entirely new system where we can no longer share [responsibilities]. And that may be the problem,” she said.

Disputes over Lithuania’s representation in the European Council have persisted throughout the previous parliamentary term. Conservative lawmakers previously proposed legislative changes to allow the prime minister to attend meetings based on the agenda, but President Gitanas Nausėda rejected the initiative as “unacceptable and inadmissible.” Former Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas saw no need to alter the existing arrangement.

The European Council comprises EU heads of state or government, its president, the European Commission president, and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. Meetings are held at least twice every six months in Brussels, with extraordinary sessions convened as needed.

Ruginienė also did not confirm or deny reports by Delfi that she had tasked her team with arranging a meeting with Trump or US vice-presidential candidate JD Vance. Her adviser Ignas Dobrovolskas stated no US visit is currently planned, while Presidential Chief Adviser Deividas Matulionis told LRT the presidential office had not been informed of any such plans.