Lithuanian Defence Minister's Call for Greater European Defense Spending

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Lithuanian Defence Minister Dovile Sakaliene stated on Wednesday that the large U.S. share of Western defense spending is unfair to Washington. Europe must enhance its defense industries to deter threats from Russia and China.

"Europe has to pull its weight" regarding defense contributions, Sakaliene said during an interview at the Reuters NEXT conference in New York. She emphasized, "It's unfair that contributions of the United States are still so disproportionately large."

Her remarks reflect sentiments from members of President Donald Trump's incoming administration. She praised the strong policy approach of Trump's defense secretary nominee, Pete Hegseth.

Sakaliene stated that "indecisiveness, weakness and compromise of the Western world" contributed to difficulties in procuring one million rounds of munitions for Ukraine.

Hegseth's nomination requires U.S. Senate approval and is facing scrutiny due to allegations of misconduct, which he denies. Sakaliene expressed support, saying, "I really like some of his thoughts and ideas, which makes him very tough."

Lithuania plans to maintain its defense spending at 3.5% of GDP next year, potentially reaching 5% later.

Regarding Russia's ambitions, she highlighted changes to its economy signaling military goals beyond Ukraine, stating, "If we have an illusion that freezing the war in Ukraine… will allow Russians to prepare for further actions, this is dangerous."

Sakaliene expressed increased concern about a potential Russian invasion of Lithuania compared to ten years ago.

She noted that U.S. involvement in Europe is essential for countering China's influence, warning that Europe's vulnerability to Russia could have negative repercussions for the United States.

Sakaliene acknowledged that Europe's priority is lower on the U.S. agenda, ranking behind Taiwan and Israel. "The war in Taiwan is coming, I think it's clear to all of us," she remarked.

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