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Gitanas Nausėda at the Munich Security Conference: We need to be ready to deter and if necessary to defeat Russian aggression

President of the Republic of Lithuania

February 14, 2025

President Gitanas Nausėda is attending the Munich Security Conference. On Friday, he participated in the discussion "Fortifying the East: A Dive into NATO Strategy." The panel also featured Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, and NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska.

In his remarks, the Lithuanian leader highlighted three main topics: the implementation of the decisions of the previous NATO summits and the preparation for the NATO summit in The Hague in June this year, the strengthening of the deterrence of Russia, and the importance of Lithuania's strategic partnership with the United States of America and transatlantic unity.

Gitanas Nausėda stressed that Russia remains the greatest military threat to our security and that stronger collective action is needed to curb its aggression in the long term. The President underlined that NATO should not only deter but also create strategic dilemmas for Russia.

Discussing the decisions of NATO summits, the President voiced concern over the slow progress of their implementation and urged all NATO member states to increase their defense spending to 3% of GDP. "Adequate funding will enable us to address critical gaps in NATO's defense plans, ensuring we are fully prepared to effectively deter Russia, which remains a threat to international peace and security," the President stated during the debate.

The Head of State underlined Lithuania's efforts, noting that Lithuania already spends 4% of its GDP on defense, and from next year we will be increasing this figure to 5-6% of GDP. This will allow Lithuania to develop its defense capabilities, support the development of the national division, and facilitate the hosting of a permanent German brigade.

Transatlantic unity and Lithuania's strategic partnership with the U.S., the President said, remains a key priority. "The U.S. military presence in Europe is essential, and Europe needs to increase its defense contribution in order to maintain the transatlantic link," the Head of State said.

Finally, Gitanas Nausėda stressed that we must pool our resources to help Ukraine to counter Russian aggression and to enable Ukraine to take a position of strength. "Our security and the security of the whole of Europe is defended in Ukraine. That is why all military and political assistance to Ukraine will remain one of the main priorities of Lithuania's foreign policy. We are ready to contribute to the implementation of possible European and U.S. initiatives to stop the aggression. An aggressor understands only the language of force. It is crucial to fundamentally change the situation, as a temporary ceasefire or a frozen conflict would only give Russia time to prepare for a new offensive. That is why we must do more together for Ukraine," the President underscored.

The President's Communication Group