Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas

07/15/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/15/2026 05:52

The President at the Lithuania–Latvia Business Forum: We are building a single Baltic defense industry

n Wednesday in Vilnius, President Gitanas Nausėda, together with President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs, opened the Lithuania-Latvia Business Forum, dedicated to strengthening cooperation and business ties in the fields of defense, security, and critical energy infrastructure.

In his opening remarks, the President emphasized that Lithuania and Latvia are bound not only by their shared history, cultural affinity, and neighborly ties, but also by a common understanding of today's security challenges and the need to address them through joint efforts.

"Lithuania and Latvia stand together on NATO's eastern flank, sharing not only a border but also a common understanding of today's security challenges. Security is not granted - it is something we build," he said.

The President emphasized that strengthening security today is inseparable from the development of the defense industry, technology, and infrastructure. He noted that this year Lithuania allocates 5.38 percent of its GDP to defense, investing in its armed forces, modern weaponry, and military infrastructure.

According to the President, the Baltic Defense Line, which the two countries are developing together, is one of the region's most important infrastructure projects. Investments in military infrastructure, secure energy supplies, and resilient digital systems are not merely expenditures - they are the foundation of national sovereignty and a driving force for industrial growth.

"What we are building here is not two separate defense industries, but a single Baltic one. And today's memorandum of understanding between our defense industry associations will give that ambition a formal foundation - and a mandate to act on it," he said.

The President also underlined the importance of Lithuania's and Latvia's cooperation in protecting critical infrastructure. He noted that the region is connected by shared strategic infrastructure, including synchronization with the Continental European network, electricity interconnections, the GIPL gas interconnector, and the Via Baltica and Rail Baltica transport corridors. According to the President, the region's strategic infrastructure extends beyond national borders; therefore, its protection and defense planning must also be based on joint solutions and close cooperation between governments and businesses.

The Forum focused extensively on Lithuania's and Latvia's cooperation in the defense industry, security technologies, innovation, the protection of critical infrastructure, and energy resilience. Around 50 representatives of the Latvian business delegation and approximately 100 representatives of Lithuanian businesses, associations, and public institutions took part in the event. Lithuania's Vice Minister of the Economy and Innovation, Guoda Burokienė, and Latvia's Minister for the Economy, Viktors Valainis, also participated in the forum.

Three cooperation agreements were signed during the Business Forum. Lithuania's Innovation Agency and the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia committed to strengthening cooperation in innovation, research and development, and export promotion. The Lithuanian Defense and Security Industry Association and the Latvian Federation of Security and Defense Industries agreed to enhance cooperation in the fields of defense, security, and advanced technologies. In addition, a letter of intent was signed between Lithuania's electricity distribution system operator ESO and Latvia's distribution system operator Sadales tīkls, under which the operators agreed to provide each other with operational assistance in managing large-scale electricity network disruptions and emergency situations.
Lietuvos Respublikos Prezidentas published this content on July 15, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 15, 2026 at 11:52 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]