H.M. Konungens tal vid presidentmottagning under officiellt besök till Litauen
Presidentpalatset, Vilnius, Litauen
(Det talade ordet gäller)
Mr. President of the Republic of Lithuania,
Madame First Lady of the Republic of Lithuania,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great honour for Her Majesty the Queen and me to be here today and to receive such a warm welcome.
Lithuania is one of Sweden’s closest friends. And in these troubling times, trusted partners are more important than ever.
As neighbours across the Baltic Sea, our countries have enjoyed strong cooperation for a very long time. Already during the Vasa dynasty, our histories became closely linked. These ties are symbolised by Katarina Jagellonica, the Polish Lithuanian princess, who became Queen of Sweden in the 16th century.
Our shared history has formed a solid ground for our relationship. Today, it is rooted in close people‑to‑people and cultural ties. And it is reinforced by a growing cooperation in economy, security and defence. Yet, there is significant potential to be realised in areas such as business, technology and defence material cooperation.
Together, Lithuania and Sweden stand up for freedom, independence and respect for international law. As members of NATO and the European Union, we are partners for peace and stability – and we stand firmly with Ukraine. I was recently in Lviv and witnessed first‑hand what our joint support means to the Ukrainian people.
Mr. President,
Less than two weeks ago, Her Majesty the Queen, the Crown Princess and I had the honour of receiving you in Stockholm. Meeting here again today is a clear testament to the value Sweden places on the close friendship with Lithuania.
We are grateful for the opportunity to visit your beautiful country and to further strengthen the bonds between Lithuania and Sweden.
Thank you!
