Lithuania is prepared to send troops to Ukraine as part of an international mission once a ceasefire is reached, President Gitanas Nausėda told Bloomberg Television on Friday.
Nausėda said the Baltic state “is ready to provide the necessary support. We are talking about a very specific number of our military, but all countries in this coalition must commit to providing such support.”
Britain and France have spearheaded efforts to offer a peacekeeping plan for Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump began talks to press for a peace deal with Russia.
More than 30 countries are expected to be involved in the so-called ‘coalition of the willing’ to support Ukraine, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.
“The contribution capabilities will vary, but this will be a significant force, with a significant number of countries providing troops,” Starmer’s spokesperson told reporters.
Nausėda also commented on U.S. politics, stating that President Donald Trump has “frank intentions” to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, but Russian President Vladimir Putin continues military actions while only pretending to engage in negotiations.
The Lithuanian government, alongside its Baltic neighbors Latvia and Estonia, as well as Poland, has ramped up military spending to address the region’s security concerns amid the war in Ukraine and the growing threat from Putin’s Russia.
In 2024, these nations rank among NATO’s top six for defense spending relative to GDP, with Poland leading the pack at 4.12%.
Lithuania has also unveiled plans to expand its domestic defense industry significantly. Vilnius aims to produce more ammunition, explosives and drones and increase its capacity to build and repair heavy weaponry.
Estonia said this week that it will boost its defense budget to at least 5% of GDP from 2026.
