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The President discussed the European security situation at the Munich Security Conference

President of the Republic of Lithuania

February 14, 2025

President Gitanas Nausėda joined German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Secretary of the French National Assembly's National Defense and Armed Forces Committee, Natalia Pouzyreff, at the Munich Security Conference to discuss Europe's security situation and strategies for strengthening NATO.

The Head of State pointed out that the main threat to Europe remains unchanged: it was, is and will remain Russia. "Now the barbarians are closer to our gates than ever. We must contain them," the President said.

The discussion primarily focused on NATO's commitments, which, according to the President, need to be implemented in practice. President Gitanas Nausėda emphasized the importance of implementing the decisions made at the NATO summits in Vilnius and Washington.

The Lithuanian leader stressed the importance of burden sharing, noting that although NATO's defense budget amounts to 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars, the largest share is borne by the U.S., while Europe's contribution is still insufficient. He called on European countries to follow Lithuania's example and increase their defense budgets to at least 3% of their GDPs. "This year we have allocated 4% of GDP, and by 2030 we plan to allocate 5-6% of GDP annually. This is an investment in our security," the President said.

The importance of strategic partnership with the U.S. and the unity of NATO have also been addressed. Gitanas Nausėda highlighted that NATO unity is an irreplaceable deterrent and that NATO capabilities, U.S. troops in Europe and collective defense are essential to deter Russian aggression. "For decades, the US has been the main guarantee of Europe's security. The U.S. presence in Europe and a strong transatlantic relationship are vital to our security. We need to continue to strengthen our partnership with the U.S. and other non-European NATO allies," the Lithuanian leader said.

The President also called for closer defense and security cooperation between the EU and the United Kingdom. "The United Kingdom is one of most important allies in NATO, bound by shared values and strategic interests," Gitanas Nausėda underlined.

The Lithuanian leader stressed the need to strengthen the European defense industry and called on the EU to allocate additional resources for defense. "We need to expand our funding mechanisms to address the urgent need to strengthen the European defense industrial and technological base to meet both immediate and long-term challenges. We must invest now, because security cannot wait until the next financial cycle," said the President.

On support for Ukraine, the President rejected any idea of a 'quick deal' which would mean the capitulation of Ukraine. The Head of State stressed that Europe needs to ensure a steady and reliable supply of arms, to strengthen Ukraine's air defense and military training in Ukraine and to invest in Ukraine's defense industry. "Our goal must be clear: not only to end the war, but also to stop Russian aggression," President Gitanas Nausėda pointed out.

The President's Communication Group