Lithuania

Lithuania was the first Soviet Republic to declare the restoration of its independence, and the first to be recognised de jure by Luxembourg, on 27 August 1991. The official documents on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations were signed on 2 July 1992, upon the accreditation of the first Envoy of the Republic of Lithuania to Luxembourg. Luxembourg was among the few European states that never recognised the occupation of the Baltic States.

In 2022, we marked 30 years of diplomatic relations and, to commemorate the occasion, the Embassy published a brochure highlighting anecdotes and key moments from our shared history. 

The two countries value each other as reliable and like-minded partners, sharing foreign policy objectives and common interests within the European Union and multilateral fora such as the Council of Europe, the OSCE, the UN, and NATO. Luxembourg’s strong commitment to Lithuania’s security is reflected in the presence of a Luxembourgish contingent serving as part of NATO's Forward Land Forces in Rukla. Bilateral ties are further strengthened through regular high-level visits, including the official visit of the President of the Republic of Lithuania, Dalia Grybauskaitė, to Luxembourg in 2010, the state visit of H.R.H. the Grand Duke of Luxembourg to Lithuania in 2017, as well as several ministerial visits.

Cultural exchanges also constitute an important element of our bilateral relations. In 2022, the cities of Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg and Kaunas in Lithuania were both designated European Capitals of Culture, providing an excellent opportunity to enhance cooperation and to deepen mutual understanding of each other’s cultural heritage. Another notable demonstration of our excellent relations was the performance of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra in the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Concert Hall in Vilnius in 2024.

Since 2007, regional dialogue has also been further strengthened through close cooperation in the Benelux–Baltic format, including several ministerial meetings. Parliamentary collaboration, formalized in 1994 when the Baltic Assembly and the Benelux Interparliamentary Consultative Council signed a common declaration on the parliamentary cooperation, has since expanded and evolved into new forms, priority fields, and formats. On 1 May 2024, for instance, the Treaty on the automatic recognition of higher‑education qualifications entered into force, enabling employers and higher education institutions to assess foreign qualifications more quickly and allowing qualification holders to avoid the additional costs and lengthy procedures traditionally required for academic recognition when seeking work or study opportunities.