Defense leaders from the United States and Lithuania have agreed to cooperate on defense industry development.
Greta Monika Tuckute, Lithuania’s vice minister of national defense, met with James Hursch, director of the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, on Thursday to discuss Vilnius’ increased defense spending.
The northeastern European nation confirmed state budget guidelines last week that will increase defense spending to at least 3 percent of its gross domestic product starting in 2025.
While many NATO members are encouraged to allocate at least 2 percent of their GDP on defense, nations bordering Russia have significantly upped their military budgets. Poland, for example, expects to spend 4 percent of its GDP on defense in 2024. Nearby Estonia’s military budget also grew to 3.2 percent.
In 2023, Lithuania invested 2.8 percent of its GDP on defense.
During their summit, Tuckute and Hursch also discussed the U.S.-Lithuanian defense procurement. Vilnius expects to purchase $1.40 billion in weaponry from the U.S. over the average period.
In recent years, the Lithuanian government has acquired high mobility artillery rocket systems, joint light tactical vehicles, Black Hawk helicopters, Switchblade loitering ammunition and AIM-120C-8 midrange missiles from Washington.