“NATO has been protecting Lithuania’s territorial integrity together with the Lithuanian Armed Forces for sixteen years how. We sincerely thank our allies, especially those deployed in Lithuania. I am certain that as long as we stand united and take every measure necessary, we will be able to deter every visible and invisible adversary,” Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis says. HE underscores that even if the COVID-19 pandemic overwhelming the world at the moment can make adjustments to armed forces activities, it does not change the core NATO mission. The Alliance remains to be capable to continue living up to its commitments and stand by its agreed policy.
Membership in the Alliance is not possible without the responsibility of its members for their own security. Lithuania has committed by signing the North Atlantic Treaty to consistently increase national capabilities for countering armed aggression. Allies work side by side to prevent conflict and preserve peace, and stand ready to take an attack on one ally as an attack on all in case prevention fails. Nevertheless, no alliance can protect if we do not protect ourselves individually.
Lithuania responded to negative trends in the security environment by speedily increasing defence spending. This index reached 2 percent of GDP in 2018 first and was retained at that level in 2019, and parliamentary political parties of the country are committed to reach 2.5 percent of GDP defence budget by 2030. “The necessity to appropriate no less than 2 percent of GDP for defence and to gradually increase it up to 2.5 percent is foremost based not on our commitments to our allies but on the radically changed security situation – we cannot forget the lessons of Georgia and Ukraine. The threats are real and significant, we have to protect ourselves if we seek to be protected,” Minister says.
Our aim is to have an up-to-date, technologically advanced armed forces. Modernisation and equipping soldiers gets almost 20 percent of the defence budget. At least a decade will still be necessary for upgrading key military capabilities but a significant progress will be noticeable each year. At the moment, the largest project for the Armed Forces since the restoration of independence is being implemented – Vilkas/Boxer Infantry Fighting Vehicles are procured, new and modern artillery systems are introduced, airspace surveillance and defence capabilities are strengthened, individual dedicated weaponry and equipment is updated.
Significant attention is also paid to the development and update of military infrastructure which is required not only for our strengthening armed forces but also allied forces deployed in Lithuania.
All of the positive change above would not be possible without the support of the society. Nearly 90% of the Lithuanian population currently support NATO membership. Lithuania is united on that matter, which facilitates joint Lithuanian effort to take care of our security properly.
Another crucial value fundamental to NATO is solidarity. Recognising that the Baltic states and Poland are the most vulnerable countries to the aggressive Russian politics NATO allies deployed enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Groups to deter potential aggression and support local forces in case of a conflict. The multinational forward forces are manned with soldiers from nearly every NATO ally – from the largest, like Germany, to the smallest, like Iceland or Montenegro. All of them would join forces to counter military aggression from day one of the conflict. This NATO decision lives the fundamental value of the Alliance, solidarity, better than any assertion could.
Besides the NATO forward presence, military presence of the Alliance is supported by the NATO Force Integration Unit opened in Lithuania to facilitate deployment NATO forces. Also, the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states has been protecting our airspace since entering the Alliance and the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence operates in Lithuania.
Military visibility of the Alliance in Lithuania is ensured by rotational forces of our allies: U.S. battalion, NATO Air Policing Mission, and international exercises.
NATO commitments are not expressed just financially, it is also engagement to further common NATO objectives. Lithuania contributes to a variety of international operations and missions worldwide, thus helping to enhance regional and international security and demonstrating solidarity with other allies. Lithuanian soldiers were deployed to a 10 international operations in Europe, Africa, Asia, Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean last year alone.
