Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas has invited American defense companies to invest in his country.
During a recent meeting with William LaPlante, U.S. undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, Kasciunas mentioned Rheinmetall’s plan to build an ammunition factory in Lithuania and added that he hopes other defense companies will follow suit.
“We can see immense potential in Lithuania-U.S. cooperation in the defense industry, therefore we look forward to a signal for the business that Lithuania is a reliable partner,” he said during the meeting.
Vilnius is a major customer for the U.S. defense industrial base. According to the defense minister, Lithuania spends $1.3 billion in U.S.-made weaponry over “an average period of time,” or 20 percent of the nation’s planned defense acquisition.
Kasciunas’ agenda in the United States also includes visits to Lockheed Martin and Aevex Aerospace facilities and meetings with Northrop Grumman executives.
The Lithuanian government recently approved lowering administrative hurdles for foreign companies that want to establish production facilities in the Baltic state. Under the new policies, companies can shorten their setup time in the country from two years to just six months. One provision allows European defense companies to start building facilities without a permit.
Lithuania is also strengthening its defenses amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Along with Estonia and Latvia, it will build a Baltic Defence Line near the borders that the states share with Russia and Belarus.