At the meeting, the Lithuanian leader highlighted that the main priority for the Baltic States continues to be ensuring security and strengthening defence. Gitanas Nausėda said that Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia need to work together towards the adoption of 3% of GDP as the defence spending target at the next NATO Summit in The Hague. According to the Head of State, this commitment is essential to maintain credible deterrence and defence along NATO’s eastern flank and to safeguard the security of the Alliance as a whole.
The Lithuanian leader also emphasised the importance of protecting critical infrastructure and coordinating an allied response to Russia’s hybrid attacks.
"Russia is intensifying its kinetic operations and acts of sabotage on NATO territory. This demands concrete, strong, and united responses at both the EU and NATO levels, along with greater efforts to protect critical infrastructure. We need to halt Russia’s sabotage campaign in Europe," President Nausėda spoke.
The head of state also stressed the need for the Baltic States to actively promote transatlantic ties and security cooperation with the strategic partner, the United States of America.
According to Nausėda, the leadership of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in mobilising allied support for Ukraine remains crucial. The president underlined that Lithuania will continue to provide unwavering support to Ukraine, contributing 0.25% of its GDP annually to military support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom.
During his meeting with Latvian and Estonian counterparts, the Lithuanian president also discussed the Baltic countries’ energy independence and resilience, stressing that the synchronization of the Baltic States with the electricity grids of continental Europe, set to occur in February next year, will be a vital step toward achieving the region’s energy independence.