Prime Minister Paluckas and NATO Secretary General hold phone conversation
Lithuania is stepping up its investments in security and defence and hopes that allies will follow suit, said Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas in a phone conversation on Monday with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
The Lithuanian Prime Minister and the NATO Secretary General discussed key security and defence issues, including the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, priorities for the upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague, continued support for Ukraine, and other pressing regional and global issues.
"The 2% of GDP benchmark for defence, which was until recently an aspiration for most Alliance members, is now a thing of the past, as Russia’s aggression has rendered it insufficient. As an Alliance, we must continuously remind ourselves that defence spending is an investment," said Prime Minister Paluckas.
With Lithuania's defence allocation in this year's budget reaching 4% of GDP and with further increases foreseen for the period 2026-2030, we are taking the security situation seriously, Mr Paluckas noted, and we hope that the Summit in The Hague will help solidify a higher collective defence spending benchmark beyond the current level.
NATO's focus on the Baltic Sea and its critical infrastructure is particularly important, as the Alliance's ability to respond effectively and to deter Russian hybrid aggression will determine whether Moscow dares to challenge NATO’s unity. In this context, NATO's Baltic Sentry operation in the Baltic Sea is an example of solidarity and cooperation contributing to collective security, said Mr Paluckas.
While safeguarding our own security, we must not lose sight of Ukraine. We must continue supporting Kyiv and ensure that any potential negotiations focus on achieving a lasting peace and tangible security guarantees for Ukraine, said Prime Minister.
The NATO Secretary General commended Lithuania’s initiative to procure vital weaponry for Ukraine directly from Ukrainian manufacturers—'Buy in Ukraine for Ukraine'—a move that simultaneously strengthens the country’s defence industry and economic resilience.
Prime Minister Paluckas pointed out the importance of the rotational air defence model and its practical implementation for the entire NATO Eastern Flank. The Patriot air defence system deployed in Lithuania for the exercise in July last year by the Netherlands served as a particularly important deterrent, the Prime Minister said. It is vital to pursue not only bilateral but also collective solutions at NATO level to ensure air defence.
At the end of the call, Prime Minister Paluckas and Secretary General Rutte agreed to hold a meeting at the earliest mutually convenient opportunity.