Jul 3 2023

Vilnius NATO Summit - Key decisions to be made

Lithuania is preparing to host the NATO Summit in July and expectations are high. The Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Gabrielis Landsbergis, has claimed that the Summit will be historic. Either for its great achievements or missed opportunities.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg visited Lithuania last week to discuss final preparations for the Summit. He was adamant that key decisions will be made in Vilnius.

Lithuania is proud to host the summit and determined to ensure that the event is both safe and successful. Various investments have been made and in recent weeks, a series of events have been held in Lithuania to promote the summit.

NATO Force Integration Unit Lithuania has been operating in Vilnius since 2015 and has been fully engaged in facilitating the coordination between the Lithuanian Defence staff and the Allied Joint Force Command in Brunssum. Assisting in the development of a NATO support plan to meet the security requirements for the NATO summit and effectively communicating that to all parties. Organising operational reconnaissance in Vilnius that allowed the meeting of both NATO and Lithuanian Defence staff for preparations. Security is at the forefront. More than 3000 Lithuanian and allied troops will be supporting the summit, ensuring security and safety at LITEXPO and in Vilnius.

During his visit to Lithuania this week, NATO Secretary General announced that a multi-year package of assistance and upgraded political ties with Ukraine would be one of the summit topics. Allied deterrence and defence is also high on the agenda with new regional plans and a rotational model for air and missile defence. A more ambitious defence investment will also be discussed at the summit with 2 percent of GDP as a floor, not a ceiling. Lithuania has already exceeded that number. President Gitanas Nausėda has pointed out that although Lithuania trusts and relies on its allies, it has strongly invested in the country’s defences by dedicating 2.5% of its GDP to defence spending.

The Lithuanian President, NATO Secretary General, German Minister of Defence, Boris Pistorius and Lithuanian Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauska visited Pabrade on 26 June to observe the German and Lithuanian troops during Exercise GRIFFINSTORM. That same day, Boris Pistorius announced that Germany is ready to permanently deploy a brigade in Lithuania. This will be an important step to strengthen and ensure the security on NATO's eastern flank.