Security issues, EU future reforms to be discussed with French President Macron: Lithuanian president

VILNIUS, April 9 (Xinhua) -- International security challenges and defense cooperation, future EU reforms and new multiannual EU budget will be the main topics at the meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Dalia Grybauskaite, Lithuania's president, said on Monday before departing to Paris.

"Three Baltic countries are having many important projects together again, one of them -- meeting with the president of France," Grybauskaite was quoted as saying by local broadcaster LRT.

During working visit in Paris on Monday, Grybauskaite will meet with Macron for bilateral talks as well as will attend a meeting between the three presidents of the Baltic states and the president of France.

"We will consolidate our military cooperation as we engage in various projects aimed at counter-terrorism, whereas French troops were deployed at the multinational NATO battalion in Lithuania," Lithuania's head of state said.

In her words, Macron "gives a new impetus to Europe and our strategic partnership" as he is "a new very active, pro-european leader".

The meeting between Grybauskaite and Macron will "add a new quality to strategic partnership between Lithuania and France and will help secure Lithuania's European interests", Lithuania's head of state was quoted as saying in a statement released by the country's presidency.

In Paris Grybauskaite will also attend the Council of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) where she will finalize the negotiations on Lithuania's membership, Lithuania's presidency announced. Enditem