Lithuania needs a government that works at a European level, says Kubilius

Lithuania needs a government capable of operating at a European level rather than isolating itself in a provincial mindset, according to Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, as reported by LRT.

In a Friday interview with the Verslo žinios news portal, Kubilius argued that Lithuania’s long-term future depends on a government that fully engages at the European level. “In my opinion, what Lithuania needs—and what I hope coalition negotiators will keep in mind—is a government that can truly work at this European level, not confined to some corner or province,” he said.

He added that, given the current geopolitical situation, any shift toward radicalism—whether from the far left or far right—would be counterproductive for Lithuania. “Whether it’s a strong centre-right or centre-left, what matters is that any lean toward radicalism, left or right, is not beneficial for us, especially in the shadow of the threats we face,” Kubilius stated.

He urged political actors in Lithuania to draw lessons from the current coalition talks, which began after the Social Democrats decided to end their partnership with the “Nemuno aušra” party and instead invited the Democratic Union “For Lithuania” to form a majority. Speculation has grown that Social Democratic leader Mindaugas Sinkevičius could replace current Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė.