Lithuania finally invests properly in defense / day

In his speech, he repeatedly emphasized the importance of the US.

« By increasing investment in our security, we are going in the right direction, » said Nauseda.

About 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to be defended in the Lithuanian 2025 budget, but the government’s decision to increase borrowing limits means that the share of protection expenses could increase to about 4% this year.

The country’s goal is to spend 5-6% of GDP for defense in 2026-2030.

« We have finally begun investing properly in national defense. Not only in words but also in the works we have shown that the safety of our country and its people is a top priority today, » said Nauseda.

« I know very well – Lithuanian people do not want war. We want peace, stability and security. That is why we need to strengthen our country’s protection and promote the effectiveness of NATO’s collective defense, » the President said.

« However, now is not the right time for a break. We can’t ignore the rapid changes that are happening beyond our borders, » he added, recalling that « we live in war and rapid international norms.

Nauseda called for more attention to the National Guard organization – the Lithuanian Riflemen Union – to strengthen the commandant system and improve the mobilization system.

In the new geopolitical reality, Lithuania « has a special task, » the president said.

« As many centuries ago, we are standing again in the Western world. We are a fortress, which is unfortunately the civilized Europe behind the walls, » he said.

« In this fortress – in our Lithuania – we need even stronger walls, more united people, a greater well -trained army and modern weapons. We need trusted allies who will come to help us if necessary, » Sac (Ija Nauseda.

The President thanked the US for the deployment of soldiers in Lithuania and emphasized the country’s readiness to welcome even more soldiers.

He said NATO is not an alternative and that the abilities of allies, which also include a US nuclear safety umbrella, and the commitment to defend each other in the event of a war forms the Lithuanian security backbone.

At the same time, the President emphasized that regional defense plans approved a few years ago should be « immediately supplemented with missing abilities ».

Nauseda also pointed out that after three weeks, the leaders of the Allied Summit at the NATO Summit in Hague would discuss increasing defense expenses.

« In the near future, European countries will have to take on more responsibility for the security of the continent. The rapid growth of European military capabilities is important to all of us. It will also help strengthen mutual trust in our main transatlantic ally – the United States, » the president said.

« Only a fair burden distribution will help maintain stability and at the same time protect the values ​​that are expensive all over the world, » he added.

The United States has urged allies to defense 5% of GDP, and, as diplomats have revealed, this month, the NATO countries will try to agree on the division of such obligations into two parts in the Hague Summit.

The proposal stipulates that NATO member states will need to increase defense spending to 3.5% of GDP, while another 1.5% of GDP will be allocated to defense -related needs, such as the development of double application infrastructure. NATO countries are considering implementing this commitment by 2032.

However, Nauseda recently called on the Allies to achieve this goal faster.

« Europe cannot be reduced to a passive historical object. It has to be restored and urgently acted on new determination – first, strengthening protection and security, and promoting its competitiveness and creating conditions for long -term prosperity and wealth, » he said in his sixth speech in Parliament.

In Nausada’s assessment, Lithuania’s task is to ensure that « Europe does not go into illusions » and « show an example ».

« After all, someone else, if not us, would have to take the most of the security of our region and Europe as a whole? How many Western countries are equally realistic about the fragile situation in our region or know Russia as well as us? » The Lithuanian president asked rhetorically.

« Today, it is no longer enough to say that Europe is unable, unwilling or not sure what to do. First we need to significantly increase our protection costs – only then can we demand the same from others. We need to develop our military industrial abilities – only then can we ask the same from others.

Nausada named Lithuanian security partners in Lithuanian regional allies – Poland, the Baltic and the Nordic countries, as well as Germany, France and the United Kingdom.