Lithuania’s Ministry of Finance reported that Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekūnas met European Investment Bank President Nadia Calviño to review progress on joint defence projects and to deepen cooperation by involving national development bank ILTE more actively in financing strategic investments. With defence investment running at more than 5% of GDP, the ministry framed a shift from project-by-project support to a systemic co-financing model between ILTE and the EIB Group, including joint projects and public-private partnerships, aimed at mobilising capital and sharing risk. The EIB has invested more than EUR 5bn in Lithuania since 1994, including EUR 1bn allocated to defence projects last year, and the minister referenced EIB support for the Rudninkai military base while seeking similar backing for the Kairiai and other defence projects. The minister also invited EIB experts to participate in ILTE’s newly established Advisory Hub and discussed ways to increase ILTE’s role in projects developed jointly with the EIB. The meeting also covered continued support for Ukraine, the capabilities of Lithuania’s defence industry and preparations for Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2027.

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