Lithuania courts US troops and eases defence procurement

Lithuania plans to spend nearly as much on defence next year as it does this year, while seeking to change procurement procedures for military equipment, LRT reported. Defence spending will remain above 5% of gross domestic product, although its share of GDP will fall slightly.

The defence budget covers weapons and air-defence purchases as well as infrastructure. Lithuania has offered to host a permanent US base, and Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said he had asked the Defence Ministry to prepare for the proposal.

The offer was sent to the Pentagon about two weeks ago. The government had earlier put the same proposal to John Coale, the US envoy to Belarus. Asked by an LRT journalist about the possibility, US President Donald Trump said it would be considered, adding that Lithuanians were “great people”.

Lithuania is also preparing for the return of a US troop rotation this month. New accommodation has been built for American soldiers at General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area, and the state covers the costs of their presence. Lithuania has offered to continue paying those costs and expand the infrastructure.

Analysts cautioned that the US administration was unpredictable and that the situation around the US troop base in Poland was still developing. Tomas Jermalavičius, research director at the Defence and Security Centre in Tallinn, said Washington could use such commitments as leverage or seek concessions, including on reopening transit. President Gitanas Nausėda called the US response good news and urged Lithuania to act consistently as it awaits the troop rotation.

Lithuania is also strengthening its deterrence with Germany. The first phase of a military campus for the German brigade in Rūdninkai is expected to be completed in the coming months, ahead of schedule. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the security of the Baltic states was also Germany’s security.

Defence spending is also going towards air defence, airspace monitoring and drones. The military has announced a space for training and testing technologies, where drones will be evaluated. The army’s Autonomous Remote Unmanned Operations unit is assessing systems for reconnaissance, defence and attacks at short and long ranges.

The army has received upgraded Switchblade 600 combat drones. The source reports that Ukrainian special operations, military intelligence and SBU units have recently been using the systems discreetly.

Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said Lithuania wants to test different unmanned aircraft, including Lithuanian-made models, and assess products from specific manufacturers. The approach may not fit easily with public procurement rules, so the government has been asked to grant exemptions. It has approved the purchase of 11 types of drone interceptor, with contracts for six nearing signature.