Europe must take greater responsibility for its security, says Lithuanian parliament speaker

Europe must assume a larger role in ensuring its own security amid growing geopolitical uncertainty, the speaker of Lithuania’s parliament, Juozas Olekas, said on Monday.

Speaking at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly plenary session in Vilnius, Olekas argued that Europe “must take greater responsibility for its security and become a strong, equal military partner.” He stressed that European defence should reinforce NATO but not duplicate its functions, calling the alliance “the cornerstone of our security.”

“It is especially important to maintain the US military presence in Europe, particularly on NATO’s eastern flank,” Olekas said.

The speaker also highlighted the need to strengthen civil resilience against hybrid threats, which he described as increasingly frequent and deliberate. “In recent years, we have faced constant, targeted hybrid threats, but our response remains partly reactive rather than systematic,” he said. Such attacks—including disinformation—aim to manipulate public opinion, undermine trust in democratic institutions, and influence political decisions, he added.

Olekas called for a “civil resistance strategy” where society actively counters hybrid threats through education, critical thinking, and engagement rather than passive observation.

He underscored the importance of unified security policies among NATO members, noting Lithuania’s commitment to defence spending. This year’s budget allocates 5.38% of GDP to defence, positioning Lithuania as a leader within the alliance. “This is a major financial undertaking reflecting our shared priorities ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara, where we seek progress toward the 5% GDP defence investment goal and fairer burden-sharing,” he said.

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly session in Vilnius, running since last Thursday, brings together nearly 300 lawmakers from 32 member states and 80 representatives from 22 partner nations and international organisations. Discussions focus on collective defence, support for Ukraine, and a planned closing declaration.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Julia Svyrydenko is also visiting Lithuania as part of the delegation, with a joint government meeting scheduled.