Lithuania and Latvia deepen defence and education ties ahead of NATO summit and EU budget talks

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Lithuania and Latvia deepen defence and education ties as NATO summit and EU budget talks loom

Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda and Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys will travel to Ankara on Tuesday for a two-day NATO summit, where Vilnius will press its record defence investments and call for stronger European security responsibility alongside continued support for Ukraine. The Lithuanian delegation will highlight the deployment of a German brigade and the creation of a national division, while Budrys joins sessions focused on implementing The Hague commitments, including raising defence spending to 5 percent of GDP and reinforcing air defence and other military capabilities. The summit, running July 7–8, will also address NATO’s evolving role under US leadership and the Alliance’s nuclear deterrence posture.

In parallel, Lithuania’s incoming Prime Minister-designate Mindaugas Sinkevičius has named Brussels as one of his first foreign destinations, signalling a push for a more active role in negotiations on the European Union’s next long-term budget. Sinkevičius said he aims to reach an agreement with President Nausėda on representation at the European Council, arguing that the EU’s multi-annual financial framework directly affects Lithuania. “The European Commission’s initial proposals do not meet Lithuania’s requirements,” he said, adding that he intends to attend certain European Council meetings to provide specific input on the new financial perspective.

Latvia, meanwhile, will use next week’s EU General Affairs Council meeting in Brussels to press for additional funding for eastern border countries, sustained support for security and defence, and continued financing for the Connecting Europe Facility, which includes the Rail Baltica railway project. Riga will also host a meeting of the Friends of Cohesion Group to coordinate a joint approach to defending cohesion funding and the Common Agricultural Policy. “Latvia supports reducing the administrative burden on businesses while ensuring new legislative initiatives do not add costs,” the Foreign Ministry said. The meeting on July 14 will also cover EU competitiveness, support for Ukraine, and the simplification of EU legislation.

On the education front, Vilnius University and the University of Latvia have awarded their first joint master’s degree, marking the completion of a new cross-border Baltic studies programme. The diploma was conferred on Baltic linguistics graduate Dovilė Gavelytė, who defended a thesis on manipulative and causative constructions across Lithuanian, Latvian, Livonian and Estonian. The joint degree combines Vilnius University’s Baltic linguistics programme with the University of Latvia’s Latvian language, literature and culture track, requiring students to spend their first year at their home institution before moving to the partner country for their third semester. Applicants must demonstrate at least B1-level proficiency in both Lithuanian and Latvian.

Elsewhere, Lithuania’s defence ministry confirmed that Merko Statyba has secured financing for the second phase of the Rūdninkai military base, being built for German troops stationed in Lithuania. Contracts signed earlier this year between the defence ministry and the Estonian-owned builder have now come into full effect, ensuring continued progress on the campus.

The flurry of activity comes as Lithuania faces scrutiny from the European Commission, which has launched infringement proceedings over alleged deficiencies in the country’s money-laundering rules. Vilnius has also reaffirmed its stance that sanctions relief for Belarus can only be considered after democratic changes occur in Minsk. Parliament speaker Juozas Ošlakas said Lithuania will not discuss easing sanctions until Belarus undergoes genuine political reform.

As NATO leaders gather in Ankara and EU budget negotiations intensify in Brussels, Lithuania and Latvia are positioning themselves at the forefront of both defence and educational cooperation, underscoring the Baltic states’ growing role in shaping Europe’s security and economic future.

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