By Ilayda Cakirtekin
ISTANBUL (AA) – Lithuania’s foreign minister urged Europe to increase defense investment during his meeting with NATO Secretay-General Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday.
“Strong NATO means lasting peace in the Euro-Atlantic area. Strength comes from defense investment. Europe must step up on it,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys wrote on X.
He also underscored that Lithuania is doing its part in that regard.
“Clear message to our adversaries - NATO is here to defend every ally, our unity is unbreakable, our commitment is ironclad,” he further added.
Lithuania, along with its fellow Baltic nations Latvia and Estonia, joined NATO in 2004.
Formerly part of the Soviet Union, the small country bordering Russia has a population of some 2.87 million.