On Thursday (26 February 2026), Secretary General Mark Rutte met Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
During their meeting the leaders discussed the growing strength of NATO’s deterrence and defence posture, including how Europe is stepping up to invest more for the benefit of the whole Alliance.
The Secretary General said Lithuania was a “role model” for NATO Allies, aiming for a “record-high 5.38% of GDP on defence spending” this year. He thanked Prime Minister Ruginienė for her personal leadership and Lithuania’s role in support for Ukraine, saying: “Lithuania is also one of the top supporters of Ukraine. When measured against GDP, you are the third largest contributor of aid to Ukraine worldwide.”
Mr Rutte praised Lithuania’s contributions to NATO, from hosting NATO air policing and Forward Land Forces to fostering expertise on energy security through the NATO Centre of Excellence in Vilnius.
* according to information published on the website https://www.nato.int/en/news-and-events/articles/news