Nausėda discusses Patria vehicles and production plans with Finnish prime minister

President Gitanas Nausėda discussed Lithuania’s decision to buy armoured personnel carriers from Finnish company Patria and further cooperation in the defence industry with Finland’s prime minister in Helsinki on Tuesday, LRT reported, citing the president’s office.

Nausėda said Lithuania’s key priority was to localise the production, maintenance and major overhaul of Patria vehicles in the country.

“This will be an unprecedented and exemplary project for Lithuania’s and Finland’s military industries, which could encourage Finnish investment in other sectors of our economy. We must use this opportunity for the benefit of bilateral cooperation between the two countries,” Nausėda said, according to the statement.

The president also presented Lithuania’s goals and priorities for its upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union. He said they were shaped by Russia’s war against Ukraine, growing hybrid threats, regional instability and increasing competitiveness challenges.

Nausėda said EU countries that are also NATO members must urgently reach the goal of spending 5 percent of gross domestic product on defence, address critical capability gaps and rapidly increase European defence industry production.

He also stressed the need to maintain a strong transatlantic partnership and NATO as the foundation of collective security in Europe.

Discussing Ukraine, Nausėda said it was necessary ahead of winter to help the country restore and protect damaged infrastructure and supply generators, transformers and other essential equipment.

He welcomed Finland’s participation in the coalition for Ukrainian shelters and invited Finland to make a financial contribution to the demining coalition led by Lithuania and Iceland.