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The President: A nation's resilience is measured by its ability to counter hybrid attacks

President of the Republic of Lithuania

October 21, 2025

On Tuesday, President Gitanas Nausėda opened the international conference "Universities Shaping the Future: Building Resilient Societies through Innovation and Global Impact" at Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas.

In his speech, the President emphasized the importance of resilience — the capacity of nations and their societies to counter hybrid attacks.

"Lithuania knows the true value of resilience, and we are constantly striving to build even more of it. This is a natural response to the complex and evolving spectrum of hybrid threats," the President said, stressing that hybrid threats are not limited to the eastern flank of the European Union or NATO — they are a challenge for all of Europe, requiring EU-level solutions.

The President underlined that hybrid attacks are not random acts of harassment but coordinated and escalating efforts. These are hybrid operations that must be treated with the utmost seriousness. "Disregard for state borders, attempts to destabilize nations, and assaults on democratic values come straight from Russia's old playbook. It is a manifestation of a deep-rooted imperial mindset, driven by a blatant disregard for the sovereignty of others," he stated.

According to the President, NATO allies must be more assertive and agile in detecting threats, sharing intelligence and holding malicious actors accountable. "The risk for hybrid aggressors must be raised, making such operations costly and ineffective," he emphasized.

The President also noted that in today's new reality, defense is no longer the sole responsibility of the armed forces or security services. Robust hybrid resilience requires a whole-of-society approach, combining military readiness, civilian preparedness, government coordination, and private sector involvement.

"Constant pressure of a dangerous adversary demands constant vigilance, especially when it comes to the great challenge of our times: mass-produced, relatively cheap and easily spread disinformation. With our historic memory, democratic values and very notion of truth under vicious attack, we must mobilize and resist with all our strength," the President said.

Gitanas Nausėda stressed that critical thinking, grounded in solid knowledge, has never been more important than it is today. This means that modern education, and especially our universities, plays a crucial role in preparing young adults for an increasingly uncertain and complex reality.

The conference was also addressed by Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy at the European Commission, and featured a keynote speech by former President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö.

The President's Communication Group