Lithuania's Prime Minister advocates for Nordic-Baltic collaborative efforts to reinforce alliances with the United States.
VILNIUS - The Nordic and Baltic nations (NB8) are mulling over shared strategies to fortify transatlantic partnerships, according to Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas.
"We've struck a deal - the stability of the Baltic Sea region hinges upon maintaining a robust transatlantic bond. During our meeting, we acknowledged that there's no greater deterrent to Russia than the presence of US troops in Europe," Paluckas stated at a press conference following his meeting with the Swedish prime minister on Tuesday.
"We should explore joint, maybe NB8 endeavors aimed at reinforcing transatlantic cooperation," the Lithuanian prime minister added thoughtfully.
In response to a question about trusting the current political climate, the prime minister noted that while it pays to keep a keen eye on your morning social media updates, the pacts between the United States and Europe remain viable.
"We've built a wealth of bilateral and multilateral relationships over the years. Sometimes faith wavers, but our strong ties and bonds endure. We may face choppy waters, but I'm certain we'll navigate them and keep the United States on our side, supporting our region," Paluckas expressed.
For his part, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson underscored the decisions of both nations to hike defense spending as a reflection of their unwavering commitment to collective defense without overdependence on US support.
In recent moves, the NB8 have advanced several joint initiatives, including a purchase of infantry fighting vehicles from BAE Systems. These collaborations, driven by heightened security concerns post-Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, aim to streamline procurement processes, cut costs through economies of scale, and ensure swift delivery to national armed forces [2][4]. Furthermore, the NB8 are also top contributors to Ukraine by GDP percentage, prioritizing military aid, economic support, and security agreements [3].
The group also advocates for NATO-EU defense integration, including supply-chain resilience and joint military exercises (e.g., anticipating Russia’s Zapad 2025 drills), while preparing for potential Europe-only defense frameworks if transatlantic unity weakens [3]. Lastly, they're leveraging EU funding tools and cross-border partnerships to boost defense-industrial capacity, focusing on standardized procurement to lower unit costs [2][3].
- General-news: The Lithuanian Prime Minister recently expressed his hope that the NB8 nations will develop a multilateral policy to strengthen their defense strategies in response to potential war-and-conflicts in the Baltic region.
- Baltic: Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the NB8 nations have increased defense spending as a collective defense strategy, signaling their unwavering commitment to regional security.
- Politics: In a joint stance, the Lithuanian and Swedish prime ministers emphasized the importance of maintaining a robust transatlantic bond, acknowledging that it serves as a notable deterrent to potential aggression from Russia.
- Policy-and-legislation: The NB8 have started collaborative initiatives, such as purchasing infantry fighting vehicles, to streamline procurement processes, cut costs, and ensure swift delivery to their respective national armed forces.
- Defense: The NB8 are exploring joint defense endeavors aimed at fortifying transatlantic cooperation and solidifying their resolve to collective defense, while also preparing for potential Europe-only defense frameworks in case transatlantic unity weakens.
