4 September 2026, Vilnius – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova Mihai Popșoi held a meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart, Kęstutis Budrys, during his working visit to Vilnius.

The discussions focused on the Republic of Moldova’s reform agenda and the next steps in the EU accession process, the further development of Moldova–Lithuania relations in areas of mutual interest, as well as regional security developments.

Deputy Prime Minister Mihai Popșoi expressed appreciation for Lithuania’s support for the Republic of Moldova’s European path and thanked the Lithuanian authorities for their willingness to share the experience and best practices gained during their own EU accession process. In this context, he highlighted Lithuania’s contribution through development assistance projects, particularly in areas such as strengthening national institutions, cybersecurity, crisis management and enhancing the country’s resilience.

“For the Republic of Moldova, Lithuania’s expertise is highly valuable, as it helps us better understand the challenges, prepare more effectively for the next stages of the negotiations and implement the reforms required for European integration. The Republic of Moldova is ready to open the remaining four negotiating clusters, based on its own merits, and we count on Lithuania’s support, including during its Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2027,” Mihai Popșoi emphasised.

For his part, Kęstutis Budrys reaffirmed Lithuania’s strong support for the Republic of Moldova’s European path and for accelerating the accession process. He also stressed that EU enlargement would be one of Lithuania’s key foreign policy priorities during its Presidency of the Council of the EU.

“When we talk about enlargement, we naturally think first and foremost of the countries closest to us, and the Republic of Moldova is among them. We expect the opening of the remaining four negotiating clusters for the Republic of Moldova to be completed by the end of the Irish Presidency, by 1 January. Lithuania strongly supports accelerating this process, and our relations are not limited to cooperation within the European Union – we also enjoy very strong and close bilateral relations,” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister emphasised.

The two ministers also discussed economic cooperation and ways to increase bilateral trade. The energy sector and digitalisation were identified among the areas with potential for new joint projects that could deliver tangible benefits for the citizens of both countries.

Currently, 53 companies with Lithuanian capital operate in the Republic of Moldova. Last year, bilateral trade between the Republic of Moldova and the Republic of Lithuania amounted to approximately EUR 48 million.