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On 11 February, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, met with the Minister of Defence of Finland, Antti Häkkänen, in Helsinki. The Ministers discussed strengthening the security of the Nordic-Baltic region, developing the European defence industry, and preparing for the NATO Summit to be held in The Hague in June.

At the meeting, Budrys underlined that Finland is an example of global defence, mobilisation and crisis preparedness, and Lithuania is interested in adopting positive experiences in these areas. The Foreign Minister also highlighted the importance of bilateral cooperation between Lithuania and Finland for strengthening regional security.

“Finland’s accession to NATO has strengthened the Alliance and opened up new opportunities for cooperation. We must use all opportunities and formats to strengthen the security of the Nordic and Baltic states. Lithuania and Finland are like-minded countries on security and defence issues. Thus, by acting together, we can achieve the goals of the region more effectively. We need to protect the Baltic Sea, as well as NATO’s external borders,” the Foreign Minister said.

Lithuanian and Finnish Ministers discussed the need for Europe to invest more in defence and defence industry development. The Ministers agreed that allies should be urged to increase defence investment and work towards reaching a commitment to spend at least 3% of GDP on defence at the NATO summit in The Hague.

“We can no longer afford an endless debate on how to strengthen Europe. Our future and Europe’s security require decisive action. Our common goal is clear: to stop Russia’s aggression once and for all,” the Foreign Minister said.

The Foreign Minister also underlined the importance of providing further military support for Ukraine, as the Nordic and Baltic countries together are the largest suppliers of armaments to the country fighting against Russian aggression after the U.S. Both Ministers agreed that the goal of negotiations on peace in Ukraine must be a lasting and sustainable peace, as a temporary ceasefire is not a solution. Budrys stressed that the end of the war in Ukraine would determine the future of European security and the global security architecture.