Lithuania's new Speaker Skvernelis to pay 1st visit to Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Ukraine

VILNIUS - Lithuania's newly elected Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis says he is considering paying his first visit to Latvia, Estonia, Poland or Ukraine.

"I have all sorts of ideas, but I really don't want to say today. (...) We have the Baltic states, Poland, and also Ukraine," he told reporters on Thursday.

In his words, key visits that could influence the direction of Lithuania's development need to be coordinated among the institutions, he said, adding that the president should take the lead in this matter.

He also says the foundations for parliamentary diplomacy have already been laid.

"I think that my colleagues and I will give Lithuania's visibility, promote Lithuania's name, and we will try to represent Lithuania's interests in this area. We will need to help other countries too. The Eastern Partnership countries have always been our priority. Not to mention unconditional, full support for Ukraine as it's fighting for its freedom," he noted.

According to information available to BNS, Skvernelis had a phone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Ruslan Stefanchuk soon after his election. The latter said during his visit to Vilnius in October he had no doubt that Lithuania's new government would continue supporting Ukraine.