Strengthening the defence industry
Ruginiene said Lithuania expected the Ankara summit to make concrete progress towards the goal of allocating 5 percent of gross domestic product to defence, particularly by strengthening air defence capabilities and ensure a credible defence posture.
“Strengthening the defence industry is among our priorities. Allies need to increase production capacity, accelerate innovation and keep costs under control,” she said.
Ruginiene said continued military support for Ukraine remained vital and that Kiev had gained momentum on the battlefield through the contributions of all NATO allies.
“Our message must be clear. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, its military buildup and hybrid activities against allies have fundamentally changed Europe’s security environment,” she said.
“There is no alternative to increasing defence budgets in this new threat environment. Security cannot be taken for granted,” she added.
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