Lithuanian defence minister: EU defence capabilities ‘not matching’ Russia’s speed

As NATO allies held a meeting on Thursday to better understand the Trump administration’s intentions when it comes to European security and Ukraine, Lithuanian Defence Minister, Dovilė Šakalienė spoke to Euronews about the position NATO now finds itself in.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth told NATO defence ministers that Ukrainian aspirations of returning to pre-2014 borders and the country’s prospects of joining the military alliance were “unrealistic”.

He also ruled out US troops being part of any peacekeeping mission to guarantee stability in the event of a peace deal, a controversial idea that has been a topic of discussion in Europe over the last few months.

Speaking to Euronews, Šakalienė, emphasised that NATO now finds itself in a very difficult moment.

“I think we are at the beginning of a very difficult process where we will have to find specific ways to generate strength,” she said.

“I understand also, that there is an agreement in the room, that our own capabilities are necessary, because how can we sustainably help Ukraine if our own defence capabilities are being developed slower than that of the aggressor?”, she said, referring to Russia.

“The size of the Ukrainian army and the size of our defence industry, of our own defence capabilities, they do not match the speed of the Russian military industry, the Russian transition from a peacetime to a wartime economy, or the Russian assembly of troops at quite a threatening speed,” she added.

Leaders from the 27 member states are currently grappling with how to plug a defence spending gap of €500 billion over the coming decade to continue supplying Ukraine with what it needs to bolster its defences, while also ensuring the EU can also protect itself, alone if needed.