Gitanas NausÄ—da met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin

President Gitanas Nausėda met with German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Friday.

The meeting discussed preparations for next week's NATO summit in Ankara, the capital of Türkiye. Also participating in the meeting were Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs and Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal.

Speaking about the objectives of the Ankara Summit, the Lithuanian leader emphasized that preserving transatlantic unity must remain the top priority, as a strong transatlantic bond is the cornerstone of collective security and defense. He also noted that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security, stressing that a stronger Europe within a stronger NATO is a common strategic objective.

"The Ankara Summit must deliver tangible progress towards the commitment to invest 5% of GDP for defense. This year, Lithuania is allocating 5.38% of GDP to core defense spending, with an additional 1.5% dedicated to dual-use infrastructure and resilience. In total, Lithuania's defense and security expenditure is approaching 7% of GDP, significantly exceeding the commitment agreed at the Hague Summit," the President stressed.

According to the Lithuanian leader, strengthening deterrence and defense, particularly in the field of air defense, is equally important. He noted that NATO's new Integrated Air and Missile Defense Plan, which marks a shift from the air policing mission to an enhanced air defense mission, represents a significant milestone.

"We also need to further strengthen the United States-led nuclear deterrence posture within NATO. A few days ago, I initiated a meeting of political leaders on a constitutional amendment to remove the existing restriction on the possible deployment of nuclear weapons in Lithuania. This amendment would enable Lithuania to participate more actively in NATO's collective nuclear deterrence arrangements," Gitanas Nausėda pointed out.

Speaking about Ukraine, the President noted that the EU accession negotiations constitute a strategic instrument for Ukraine's modernization and an important source of political momentum. He stressed that full membership must remain a common objective, supported by concrete milestones and a clear roadmap leading to Ukraine's accession to the EU no later than 2030.

The Lithuanian leader expressed hope that the Ankara Summit will demonstrate NATO's unity, resolve, and readiness to invest in collective defense, reinforce the transatlantic bond, and continue supporting Ukraine.