Lithuania urges Europe to build 'factory of peace' against Russian threat
Photo: Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas (Getty Images)
Europe must urgently ramp up its own military production and strengthen its defenses, as Russia is currently producing several times more weapons than all EU countries combined, Robertas Kaunas, Minister of National Defense of Lithuania, says ahead of the EU Defense Council meeting in Brussels.
According to the Lithuanian Minister, Russia is currently capable of producing nearly four to five times more weapons than all of Europe.
"So it's a huge threat to us. Lithuania and actually all eastern flank of Europe investing heavily to defense needs because we realize our security environment, the situation of our security environment. Today we understand that credible deterrence can work only if it is backed by real military strength," he says.
Kaunas emphasizes that now is not the time for discussions about creating a European army. According to him, the main task is to fulfill NATO’s goals regarding the strengthening of Europe’s military capabilities.
"It's the most important right now. We must strengthen the eastern flank of Europe. We must increase the speed of air defense and anti-drone capabilities. We must support Ukraine until victory. And, of course, we must increase our European defense industry," he says.
The Minister notes that Lithuania already spends 5.4% of its GDP on defense. At the same time, this is not enough without the joint efforts of all of Europe.
According to him, the EU must create a factory of peace where peace through strength is a reasonable goal.
Kaunas separately emphasizes the importance of cooperation with Ukraine.
"Right now, Ukraine has a lot of experience in war, and they are extremely fast when we speak about technology," he notes.
Commenting on the negotiations between the US and Germany regarding the possible deployment of Tomahawk missiles, the Lithuanian Minister expresses hope for wise decisions.
"But also, we must focus on our own capabilities, on our own possibilities to have deep strike capabilities," he adds.
The EU previously stated that Russia could deploy between seven and nine million drones by 2026.
Such a massive ramp-up in drone production is forcing Europe to reevaluate its defense policy.
Russia’s military technology sector is seeing a shift toward industrial production of new munitions for drones.
This indicates Moscow’s attempts to establish a stable supply chain and standardize weaponry for drones.
