Budrys: Lithuania seeks to adopt Finland's best practices in comprehensive defence

On May 15, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys met with the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of Finland Ville Tavio who is visiting Lithuania on the occasion of the state visit of the President of Finland to Lithuania.

The ministers discussed bilateral relations, regional security, the defence industry, and economic cooperation. During the meeting, Budrys emphasized that cooperation between Lithuania and Finland is dynamic, steadily strengthening, and based on common values and strategic interests.

"Finland is Lithuania's close and reliable partner within the European Union, a NATO ally, and an important member of the NB8 family. We share not only common values, but also common strategic goals. Our bilateral relations are stronger today than ever," said the head of Lithuania's diplomacy.

The Minister underlined that with Finland's and Sweden's NATO membership, the Nordic-Baltic region, including the Arctic, had become an integral area of security, and the reasons for deepening cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries had become even more pressing.

Budrys also said that Finland's model of universal defense is an important example for Lithuania.

"Finland has a unique track record in comprehensive defence. We aim to adopt and apply Finnish good practices in Lithuania to boost public preparedness and resilience," said the Minister.

At the meeting, the Minister stressed that economic relations between the two countries continue to grow stronger. According to the Minister, Finland is the 14th largest investor in Lithuania, and various Finnish companies are actively expanding their activities in our country. Budrys was pleased that Lithuanian business is expanding into Finland and successfully establishing itself there. Budrys also stressed the need to strengthen the regional defence industry and ensure reliable supply chains, as these are the basis for the overall security of the region.