Lithuania may take over EU budget talks from Ireland

Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius says Lithuania may have to lead efforts to reconcile EU countries’ positions on the 2028-2034 budget if Ireland fails to make progress by the end of the year, LRT reported.

Sinkevičius said he hoped the EU would have at least an interim result by December, but acknowledged that negotiations were tense. If Ireland does not reach agreement, Lithuania will take over when it holds the EU Council presidency in the first half of next year, he said in a video comment released by the government on Tuesday.

“We hope Ireland will be able to find agreement among EU leaders by Christmas, leaving Lithuania with less work to continue the process. That is the optimistic scenario,” Sinkevičius said. He noted that some countries, among the largest contributors, do not want to pay more, while others believe they need more funding.

Lithuania is seeking funding to strengthen security along the EU’s eastern border and to support strategic projects, including construction of the Rail Baltica railway. Sinkevičius said Lithuania was seeking support from the other Baltic states and Poland, as border security costs affect all four countries.

Discussions also cover EU programmes, cohesion policy and agriculture. President Gitanas Nausėda has said the next budget should maintain sufficient funding for cohesion and the common agricultural policy while supporting investment in European security, defence, military mobility and strategic infrastructure. Finance Minister Taurimas Valys called in late September for particular attention to transport and military mobility.