Prime Minister meets with Minister-President of Bavaria, Leader of the CDU of Germany, and business representatives in Munich

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė is about to conclude her working visit to Munich, which commenced on July 19 and will continue until July 20. During this visit she has met with the Minister-President of the German state of Bavaria, Markus Söder, representatives of the country’s business community, the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), Friedrich Merz, and experts in security and foreign policy from analytical think tanks.

Lithuania places great emphasis on strengthening cooperation with German states, including Bavaria. This collaboration is particularly significant for both innovation-oriented Lithuanian exporters and traditional sectors. There is significant potential in the life sciences and laser industries, where both sides have a strong track record.

The ties between Lithuania and Germany will be further strengthened by the opening of a Consulate General in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, by the end of this year.

During her meeting with Minister-President of Bavaria, Mr. Söder, Prime Minister Šimonytė discussed cooperation between Lithuania and Bavaria, the security situation in the region, support for Ukraine, and the development of bilateral relations between Lithuania and Germany in the fields of economy, security, and culture.

“Russia’s ongoing war continues to cause suffering and destruction in Ukraine, as well as instability in the region. However, our ability as allies to react, agree, and work together for common security is a positive sign of the strong relationship between Lithuania and Germany. Here in Bavaria, we see great potential to further increase our cooperation, ranging from financial services and culture to industry and high-tech sectors,” said Prime Minister Šimonytė.

The parties also discussed the security situation in the region and Germany’s crucial contribution to it. Prime Minister Šimonytė pointed out that Germany’s decision to deploy a permanent brigade in Lithuania is fundamental to the security of NATO’s Eastern flank and the Alliance as a whole. Lithuania is committed to developing the necessary infrastructure and ensuring that all conditions are in place to implement this agreement as soon as possible, confirmed Ms. Šimonytė.

The Head of the Lithuanian Government emphasized that support from democratic countries, aimed at preserving the rules-based international order, to Ukraine until its victory remains the only reliable way to achieve sustainable peace in Ukraine until its victory.

During her working visit to Bavaria, Ms. Šimonytė also met with representatives of German businesses and discussed investment opportunities and business development in Lithuania.

Additionally, on Wednesday, the Prime Minister attended a plenary session with CSU members of the Christian Democratic Union-Christian Social Union (CDU-CSU) group in the German Bundestag, and met with the Leader of CDU, Mr. Merz. During the session and the meeting, the parties focused on German-Lithuanian cooperation in the field of security, support for Ukraine, and other issues of mutual interest to the countries.