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Budrys at NATO: Russia is, and will continue to be, a direct military threat to the Alliance

Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Updated 2025-12-03

On 3 December, Kęstutis Budrys, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is attending a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels to discuss the implementation of defence and deterrence measures and the Alliance's response to growing hybrid threats.

"Russia is and will remain a direct military threat to NATO, whether a ceasefire is agreed or after peace in Ukraine is achieved one day. And that is why we have to be prepared as NATO to meet this threat. Even today, we are under attack with the different forms of hybrid activities from Russia, and its accomplice, Belarus, including the GPS jamming and spoofing, launching meteorological balloons that are now disrupting civil aviation operations and pose a real threat to our critical infrastructure.

According to Budrys, the Alliance must respond to those threats by strengthening air defense and accelerating the implementation of decisions made in The Hague. The Minister reiterated that Lithuania would allocate more than 5% of its projected GDP for defense next year.

"I hope to hear the same from allies that they are doing the same - increasing defence spending. This is very much needed; otherwise, our commitments will be tested, which we want to avoid," Budrys said.

The same was stated by the head of Lithuania's diplomacy with regard to support for Ukraine.

"We have to understand the needs of Ukraine - that's more than 50 billion euros. And we also have to understand that we have to share the burden. We cannot leave it solely on the shoulders of the Nordic and Baltic countries, Germany, Poland and several others. We have to share it across the alliance. And that is my message to the allies," said Budrys.

According to the Minister, Lithuania's commitment to allocate 0.25% of its GDP to Ukraine for 10 years sets an example to follow, and if all Europeans did so, there would be enough funds for Ukraine's defence needs.

"We see that the efforts of the United States are really constant, but we have also to admit that Russia is not meeting them with any flexibility, and what they are trying to do is they're trying to convince the international community that it is okay to break the fundamental principles. And it's not okay with us. If we recognize the territorial gains of Russia, that will immediately kill international law. And it would mean even more aggression, more threats to the neighbourhood of Russia. And actually elsewhere," said Budrys.