VILNIUS, Lithuania, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Security and well-being for members of the European Union requires a united defense agenda, the president of Lithuania said Thursday.
Members of the European Union gathered Thursday in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, for an informal meeting on defense.
Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite briefed delegates on the need for a well-prepared European community.
European members gather in Lithuania in November to review association prospects for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia. Grybauskaite said the November summit is about security and stability as much as it is about closer trade and economic relations in the region.
"More security and stability in our neighborhood means more security and prosperity in Europe," she said.
She said the diversity of the EU meant it should be better prepared to handle security issues ranging from cyberattacks to the use of chemical weapons.
"We must find common agreement to address the highly complicated causes of modern conflicts," she said.
Lithuania holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. Catherine Ashton, high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy, chairs the two-day meeting.
