D. Grybauskait: we have to get rid of the peace mentality

Supplemented with a statement about D. Trump’s possible appointment as head of the United States

We have to invest and take over the budget of our peaceful life and make it a defense budget, because times do not wait, and so do circumstances. (Russian President Vladimir V) Putin has left us no choice, D. Grybauskait told LRT radio on Friday.

This is how she spoke in Lithuania for several months during the discussion about where to get additional money for raid protection.

At present, politicians, business and professional communities are discussing the four alternatives recently presented by the Ministry of Finance (check out the infogram at the bottom), how, in order to increase defense allocations, the state budget will collect more money.

This is done in an attempt to increase the fixed funding of surveillance protection from 2.5% to 3% of the gross domestic product.

Speaking on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s membership in NATO, D. Grybauskait said that Lithuania, like the entire Alliance, is lagging behind.

Our peace mentality still dominates and we need to invest a lot in our defense and do it faster, she said.

I really hope that the various discussions will end and that all active politicians, representatives of all political parties, as well as future presidents who participate, will participate and win the elections, will take political responsibility, added D. Grybauskait.

The Government hopes to announce specific results in mid-April.

D. Grybauskait also says that Europe should not be overly afraid of the possible election of Donald Trump as president of the United States.

And I think we don’t need to bother under any circumstances. We are already working with that president (…), you can make an agreement with him as well as with everyone else. You just need to have arguments, motivations and, maybe, in the end, invest very seriously in your own defense, that of Europe, said D. Grybauskait.

According to her, no matter who will be the president of the USA, it is time for Europe to take responsibility for its own defense.

D. Grybauskait, who was the president in 2009-2019, also said that Ukraine has already earned its membership in NATO, is the most powerful country in Europe in terms of military terms, so the Alliance must mature and dare to say this in order to accept the country in its ranks.

I think it will happen, but it also requires the political leadership of NATO, which is not yet there, said D. Grybauskait.

NATO announced last year that Ukraine will become a member of the Alliance when it fulfills the necessary conditions and the member states agree on it.

Kyiv is hoping for an invitation from the organization during the year’s NATO summit in Washington, but it will most likely not be received.

[infogram id=”f8493756-ebb0-4622-945b-9054a04c91a7″ prefix=”8ua” format=”interactive” title=”4 Gynybos finansavimo  alternatyvos”]

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