Commissioner Brunner travels to Lithuania to discuss internal security and the situation on the EU Eastern border
Today and tomorrow, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner will be in Lithuania to meet President Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Interior Kęstutis Budrys and Vladislav Kondratovič. The Commissioner will also meet with Members of the Lithuanian Parliament from the European Affairs, Foreign Affairs, State Security and Defence, Legal Affairs as well as Human Rights Committees.
The Commissioner will discuss EU internal security issues, including hybrid threats from Russia and Belarus using migrants as weapons and the situation at the EU Eastern border. He will visit the Medininkai border crossing point between Lithuania and Belarus to receive updates on border management, including the preparations of the Entry/Exit System, on which an agreement for a progressive roll-out has been reached this month.
Last December, the Commission adopted a Communication to support Member States in countering hybrid threats from the weaponisation of migration at the external border by Russia and Belarus, which made additional funding available for Member States. In February 2025, the Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission adopted a Joint Communication, EU Action Plan on Cable Security, to strengthen the security and resilience of submarine cables. To further enhance border surveillance at the borders with Russia and Belarus, the Commission made available additional funding. This included €15.4 million for Lithuania to upgrade equipment, improve telecommunication networks, deploy mobile detection equipment and counter drone intrusions thereby ensuring real-time situational awareness and enhance the mobility of border patrols.