Konservatoriai ir liberalai, būdami Lietuvos valdžioje, padarė išskirtinį pasaulyje judesį - puolė Kinijos suverenitetą Taivano klausimu. Tai buvo padaryta, norint ypatingai įsiteikti JAV. Tai nepavyko, JAV negalvoja, kad mes geresni, negu Afrikos valstybės ar kitos pokomunistinės mūsų regiono valstybėlės

Konservatoriai ir liberalai to nesupranta. Neužtenka proto jėgų:

 

"Jungtinių Amerikos Valstijų (JAV) dirbtinio intelekto (AI) lustų eksporto ribojimas, kurio sąlygos bus taikomos ir Lietuvai, neparodo pablogėjusių santykių ar netinkamai vykdytos užsienio politikos pasekmių, mano Liberalų sąjūdžio pirmininkė Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen. Pasak politikės, matant, kad apribojimas bus taikomas ir Lietuvos kaimynėms, jis gali būti paremtas objektyviais faktais.

 

„Žvelgiant į regioną, akivaizdu, kad mūsų artimiausi kaimynai nebuvo įtraukti (į artimiausių JAV sąjungininkių sąrašą – ELTA). Mes šiuo atveju neišsiskiriame nei į gerąją, nei į blogąją pusę. Tai čia gali būti susiję su tokiais objektyviais dalykais kaip vystymo pajėgumais vienos ar kitos srities“, – penktadienį „Žinių radijui“ teigė V. Čmilytė-Nielsen.

 

Dėl tokio JAV sprendimo viešojoje erdvėje vykstant diskusijai, ar Lietuvos užsienio politikos sprendimai, neigiamai paveikę ryšius su Kinija, buvo reikalingi, politikė teigia, kad su Pekinu ryšius pabloginęs bendradarbiavimas su Taivanu nebuvo „bandymas kažkam įsiteikti”.

 

„Praeitoje kadencijoje priimti sprendimai, ar tai Indijos-Ramiojo vandenyno strategija patvirtinta, ar mūsų veiksmai, plėtojant ekonominius ar kitus ryšius su Taivanu, mano galva, nebuvo daromi, norint kažkam įsiteikti. Juos darėme dėl to, kad mums atrodo svarbu stiprinti demokratijų bendradarbiavimą“, – tikino politikė.

 

„Manau, Lietuva vykdė teisingą ir aktyvią užsienio politiką. Ir tai patvirtina tai, kad Seime šią savaitę patvirtinome rezoliuciją dėl užsienio politikos tęstinumo“, – priminė ji.

 

ELTA primena, kad sausio 13 d. Joe Bideno administracija paskelbė kad siekdama apsaugoti, kad jos pažangiausios technologijos nepatektų į Kiniją ar Rusiją, JAV ribos dirbtinio intelekto vystymui naudojamų lustų eksportą. Išimtis bus taikoma tik 18 artimiausių JAV partnerių, bet nei Lietuvos, nei kitų Baltijos šalių, nei Lenkijos šiame sąraše nėra.

 

Anot Seimo pirmininko Sauliaus Skvernelio bei vicepirmininko Juozo Oleko, toks JAV sprendimas parodo, kad buvusios Vyriausybės užsienio politika buvo nesėkminga.

 

Tuo metu JAV ambasadorė Lietuvoje Kara C. McDonald sako, kad ribojimai taikomi, tik importuojant išskirtinai didelius lustų kiekius. Tad Lietuvos šis ribojimas neturėtų praktiškai paveikti.

 

JAV Baltųjų rūmų paskelbta informacija, pritaikius AI lustų ribojimus, valstybės bus suskirstomos į tris kategorijas. Į pirmąją kategoriją, AI lustų eksportas į kurias nebus reguliuojamas, patenka artimiausi sąjungininkai – Australija, Belgija, Kanada, Danija, Suomija, Prancūzija, Vokietija, Airija, Italija, Japonija, Nyderlandai, Naujoji Zealandija, Norvegija, Pietų Korėja, Ispanija, Švedija ir Jungtinė Karalystė.

 

Į antrąją kategoriją patenka didžioji dalis pasaulio valstybių, jos galės per kartą importuoti lustų kiekį, kurių pajėgumas prilygsta 1.700 galingų grafinių procesorių. Baltieji rūmai pabrėžia – didžioji dalis pasaulyje vykdomų lustų užsakymų patenka į šią kategoriją. Pagal dabartinius planus, į tokią kategoriją patektų ir Lietuva bei kitos Baltijos šalys.

 

Tuo metu trečiosios kategorijos valstybėms, įsigaliojus apribojimui, bus draudžiamas bet koks AI lustų importas. Tai, pasak Baltųjų rūmų, šalys į kurias jau dabar draudžiama vežti karinę technologiją, tokios kaip Rusija ir Kinija."

 

Klysta ir JAV ambasadorė Lietuvoje Kara C. McDonald, puolusi sakyti, kad tie lustai Lietuvai nereikalingi. Norint sukurti efektyvią ir konkurencingą ekonomiką, jums reikia daug šių lustų, tiek, kiek galite sumokėti. Šiuo sprendimu Bideno administracija palieka Lietuvą nuskurdinti, panašiai, kaip skurdžiausių Afrikos šalių, nuskurdinimas.

 

A huge achievement: the Lithuanian government has identified unnecessary functions that cost Lithuania 2 billion euros annually. Write in the comments ideas on how best to use this money

 "The Lithuanian State Defense Council (SDC), composed of the heads of the country and the national defense system, agreed on Friday that from next year to 2030, defense financing should reach 5-6% of the gross domestic product (GDP), in order to develop the army division faster.

 

"We agreed that in the period 2026-2030, we will allocate from 5 to 6% of the gross domestic product to defense annually," - President Gitanas Nausėda told reporters after the SDC meeting.

 

According to him, the agreement will allow maintaining the average defense financing of 5.5% of GDP during the mentioned period, writes BNS.

 

D. Šakalienė: We are paying too high a price for having funding holes

 

According to the president, Lithuania must achieve full division and other critical infrastructure capacities by 2030, and not "sometime in the distant future."

 

He claimed to be hoping for “maximum concentration of institutions”.

 

“The probability of Russian military aggression remains real, but it is not inevitable. We must significantly increase our efforts to strengthen defense and deterrence and allocate greater resources for this purpose,” the head of state said.

 

“Our security is also ensured by membership in the NATO Alliance, but it will be effective only if we are ready to defend ourselves,” he added.

 

Minister of National Defense Dovilė Šakalienė said that by increasing defense funding, Lithuania’s goal is to have effective armed forces.

 

“Therefore, one of the goals is also not only to ensure the formation of a division and its operational capacity by 2030, but also to evenly develop the rest of the army, because we are paying too high a price for having funding holes,” the minister said.

 

Last year, the VGT announced that Lithuania's defense funding, which has so far been around 3% of GDP, will not be sufficient to create a division by 2030 due to the acquisition of expensive tanks and tracked infantry fighting vehicles and the need to install appropriate infrastructure.

 

This year's state budget also includes a little more than 3% of GDP for national defense, but the increased borrowing limit at the initiative of the new government frees up space to allocate additional funding in the course of 2025, which will allow for an allocation of 4% of GDP.

 

R. Žemaitaitis: no more playing soldiers

 

Remigijus Žemaitaitis, the leader of the ruling coalition "Nemunas aušra", claims that it is unrealistic to allocate 5-6% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for defense from the national budget alone in the coming years.

 

According to the chairman of "Aušriečių" party, in order to achieve such an indicator, the contribution of the European Union is necessary.

 

“I don’t know why it was necessary to make such a decision today. This is a very risky thing. Unless the president has strong support from (European Commissioner for Defense Andrius – BNS) Kubilius, the European Commission, he will definitely give us 0.5 billion or 1 billion euros in addition to the missing amount,” R. Žemaitaitis told BNS on Friday.

 

In addition, he raises the question of the transparency of the use of money already allocated for national defense.

 

“This is unrealistic, from the realm of fantasy. I understand that some have played around with war themes and are starting to escalate that topic today,” R. Žemaitaitis said.

 

According to his calculations, about 1.8 billion euros should be found in addition.

 

“Education will stop, social services will stop, other areas will stop, and young people will emigrate and flee from Lithuania. I think that this should be approached very responsibly. The words are very sonorous, welcome, but maybe we should stop playing soldiers, and we should be realistic about where to get those finances from,” the leader of “Nemuno Aušra” told BNS.

 

According to R. Žemaitaitis, after such decisions, the President of Lithuania must raise the issue of interest-free borrowing from EU institutions, not from banks, together with the countries of the region.

 

“We will not vote for any new taxes”

 

The Chairman of “Nemuno Aušra” told BNS that the parliamentary group he leads in the Seimas will decide on increasing defense spending only after seeing who specifically will receive the funds and from what sources they will be taken.

 

“If they plan to introduce new taxes for this, we have clearly said that we will not vote for any new taxes, we will definitely not support it,” emphasized R. Žemaitaitis.

 

“Let the President register such amendments himself, because he has the right of initiative in lawmaking. "To register specific draft laws, which he believes should raise taxes to reach 5-6% of GDP," R. Žemaitaitis told BNS.

 

In addition, he raises the question of the transparency of the use of money already allocated for national defense.

 

"It is necessary to conduct and initiate audits at the Ministry of National Defense as soon as possible to determine whether the money is being used effectively and properly, because when such a large amount of money is allocated to national defense, the question will be how purposefully and honestly it is used," the politician argued.

 

Higher defense financing will not mean higher taxes 

 

While the government is still planning to review the 2025 state budget in the first half of the year, G. Nausėda said that “aspects of this process will not be clear” when it comes to increased defense funding.

 

“I would rather associate those fundamental changes in national defense financing with the 2026-2030 period,” the president said.

 

According to him, achieving 5-6% of GDP financing for defense is possible without violating the criteria of fiscal discipline, if resources are properly redistributed, and unnecessary functions in other areas of public life are also abandoned.

 

“I would very much like to, and I think, we will definitely not follow this path, so that increased funding for national defense is associated with a greater tax burden. We must avoid this,” said the head of state.

 

He also argued that various financial instruments of the European Union can help achieve increased defense financing.

 

Prime Minister's spokesman: defense spending means investments in energy, transportation, health and education

 

Justinas Argustas, the prime minister's spokesman, says that the government understands spending on national security in a broad sense.

 

"Our country is sending a strong message that it is ready to use all means to ensure the security of its citizens. We are talking about both the will and the power to defend itself," J. Argustas told BNS on Friday, commenting on the VGT decision.

 

"We understand defense and security spending in a broad sense - it means investments in our military, energy and transportation sectors, health and education, and other important areas. In other words, hospitals, roads, people's education, and energy security - investments in greater security," he said.

 

According to him, from the point of view of Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, in order to achieve sustainable and long-term financing, concentrated efforts of all European Union countries are necessary.

 

“We are also talking about funds from the European Defense Fund, which would function similarly to the RRF and provide significant financial assistance to frontline states, including the development of the defense industry and other borrowing instruments,” J. Argustas listed possible financial sources for additional national defense spending.

 

According to him, the waiver of various benefits may also be considered.

 

“The Prime Minister draws attention to the fact that there is a whole range of public services that require greater funding, so it is necessary to review all kinds of benefits, exemptions, and exceptions and think about redistributing the tax burden so that the stronger ones contribute a little more,” Mr. Argustas indicated. “Of course, greater defense and security funding means a huge responsibility to use taxpayers’ money transparently, responsibly, efficiently, and effectively.”

 

Weapons will arrive faster

 

According to officials of the national defense system, a larger defense budget will allow for faster advance payments for various weapons purchased by Lithuania.

 

“Our armed forces must have the necessary weapons, equipment, personnel, supplies, and they must receive all of this on time, only in this case will investments in defense pay off and have the maximum deterrent effect,” said G. Nausėda.

 

It was previously announced that the German tanks important for establishing the division would reach Lithuania in stages from 2029 to 2034, arguing the lack of funds allocated for defense.

 

However, the Minister of National Defense has already announced that Lithuania will make an advance payment this year so that it will receive the Leopard tanks by 2030.

 

“The current (financing – BNS) plan is not made by thinking about percentages, but by calculating and recalculating in great detail what we absolutely must have, what is realistic to acquire over what period of time,” D. Šakalienė said on Friday.

 

According to her, increased defense funding will allow advance payments to be made for other weapons and equipment.

 

“We have a detailed list of where advance payments would accelerate the receipt of equipment and when they should be paid. This decision today allowed us to further expand this list and have much earlier,” the minister said.

 

3% of GDP allocated to defense should become a new “reference point” for NATO

 

Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys calls on NATO partners to follow this example (of increasing defense funding – VŽ).

 

“Difficult times require bold decisions and leadership. We call on our allies to follow this example. The era of passive “let’s sit and wait” strategies is over,” the head of Lithuanian diplomacy wrote on the social network “X” account on Friday.

 

President Gitanas Nausėda says that the 3% of gross domestic product (GDP) defense spending target in NATO countries should become a “new benchmark.”

 

The head of state spoke after a meeting with the Alliance’s Deputy Secretary General Radmila Šekerinska.

 

“Three percent of GDP for defense must become a new benchmark for all NATO allies. We must fill critical gaps in NATO’s defense plans so that we are ready to deter and, if necessary, defeat Russian aggression,” G. Nausėda said in a statement released on Friday.

 

L. Kasčiūnas welcomes the decision

 

Former Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas welcomes the decision made by the State Defense Council (VGT) to allocate 5-6% of the gross domestic product (GDP) to the country's defense annually for the period 2026-2030, reports the ELTA agency. However, according to the conservative, it is very important to ensure that this financing for national defense is sustainable.

 

"A good decision, great news. Of course, this is a recommendation decision of the VGT for now. When it is included in the budget, we will say that the work is done. So far, there are only many good directions, blessed with decisions, but the budget is still the same as we planned," - L. Kasčiūnas told the ELTA news agency.

 

"We have always adhered to sustainable financing, so I would be very interested to hear how this defense financing will be justified, how it will be created - is it tax decisions, etc.," - he emphasized.

 

However, L. Kasčiūnas emphasizes that there will definitely be places to invest additional funds for defense.

 

“Another very important thing is how we plan that money and where we will direct it. In this place, I would name the long-range strike capabilities as priority areas that could be strengthened – the Himars capacity can be increased, apparently, tanks can be brought forward a little,” said the former Minister of National Defense.

 

According to him, additional funding should also be directed to strengthening air defense. L. Kasčiūnas emphasizes that this step by the VGT allows us to start discussing the acquisition of the “Patriot” system.

 

“This money already allows us to think about the “Patriot” capabilities in Lithuania. Of course, a military assessment is also needed here, but I would say that this would be a very necessary direction,” said L. Kasčiūnas, noting that the time has come to establish a third artillery battalion.

 

Business representatives say the decision is welcome

 

The business community welcomes this decision of the State Defense Service, and calls for increasing the funds by expanding the volume of borrowing through European mechanisms and investing in local military equipment production.

 

“It is a welcome decision, this is what the business community has been talking about for at least a couple of years, since we proposed discussing the defense fund and defense tax,” Andrius Romanovskis, president of the Lithuanian Business Confederation (LVK), told the ELTA news agency on Friday.

 

The business representative also pointed out that the state is currently consistently implementing a policy of increasing national defense funding.

 

“This year’s budget already reflects the ambition to borrow more and thus finance defense – these are welcome decisions,” he noted.

 

Vidmantas Janulevičius, president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists (LPK), also welcomed the attention of the country's politicians to defense - according to him, it is "cosmos" that the goal set a year ago to agree on 4% of GDP financing for defense has not only been achieved, but also exceeded. However, the head of the LPK added that the next step is to increase the volume of military production within the country.

 

"We need to spend more money on production - when producing the necessary goods for the production sector in Lithuania, the largest possible share of those taxes - from manufactured goods, products, chemical products, all other defense supplies - would return to the Lithuanian budget," V. Janulevičius told the ELTA news agency.

 

"I am talking about primary things - I am talking about explosives, the same mines, I am talking about shells - about what is used here and so that we do not have to send them from the other side of the European Union," the head of the LPK assured.

 

According to him, it is no less important to reduce bureaucratic obstacles and change laws that limit the production capacity of the defense industry.

 

“The opposite approach would be if we did not change it now – to liberalize more freely, certify defense equipment and produce them here. This is a new potential branch that we will have to strengthen,” explained the President of the Lithuanian Chamber of Commerce.

 

According to him, it is also important to invest in renewable energy and the protection of critical infrastructure.

 

Proposes borrowing through European mechanisms

 

Business representatives agree that borrowing is the best way to raise additional funds, but V. Janulevičius emphasizes that this is a short-term measure that should also include European mechanisms, such as the Recovery and Resilience Fund or RRF funds, and the creation of a common defense fund.

 

“We have no other option, because otherwise we would be slowing down the economy. That's right, borrowing remains a priority, the more EURIBOR decreases, the cheaper it becomes. The essential point is that European funding should also be “relaxed”. (…) There will certainly be a fund to meet the needs of defence, and Commissioner A. Kubilius is working on it,” said V. Janulevičius.

 

However, he added that some taxes within the country will also need to be reviewed at the negotiating table. For this purpose, according to V. Janulevičius, it would be possible to increase the value-added tax (VAT), making exceptions only for the poorest residents and pensioners.

 

“It would simply be a financed tax. (…) Perhaps those consumption taxes should be viewed, because the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says that the economy is least hindered by (…) money consumption taxes, so perhaps for some important products that VAT should be reviewed in a decreasing order,” he said.

 

Previously, business has already talked about a universal real estate (RT) tax, V. Janulevičius assured that he supports this idea.

 

The head of the Investors’ Forum, Rolandas Valiūnas, has also promoted borrowing for defense as a currently sustainable solution – according to him, the debts could be repaid after reaching the planned 100 billion euros in GDP, promoting high technologies.

 

No agreement on the Ottawa Convention

 

The State Defense Council (VGT), which discussed the possibility of withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention banning anti-personnel mines, has not made a decision on its denunciation, the president says. According to the head of state, the relevant decisions require more time and consultations with allies, ELTA writes.

 

“Today I would not say that it will be a denunciation or a non-denunciation. We need more time and more information from our allies to make the right decision,” said G. Nausėda.

 

According to him, before returning to these discussions on a possible withdrawal, the allies will be consulted.

 

“The decision on denunciation has not been made, because at the moment we see a great need not only to hear the military conclusion. We are now cooperating with our institutions, which are providing their expert assessment,” the president said.

 

“We have entered another very important stage, we will have to consult first with the allies, who according to the plans should interact with our military forces, if such a need arises, what their reaction would be. This is extremely important for us, because practically all NATO countries except one have joined the Ottawa Convention,” added G. Nausėda.

 

The head of state also emphasized that a regional solution will be sought on this issue.

 

"The second task is to seek a regional solution. So that this decision on the Ottawa Convention is as broad as possible, involving as many states as possible. We are at the beginning of this process," he said.

 

ELTA reminds that this week the Ministry of National Defence (MND) submitted its political-military advice on the Ottawa Convention and proposes to initiate withdrawal procedures and consultations with allies and the Baltic Sea countries.

 

The ministry notes that if the VGT supports the initiative, the MND would propose that the president submit to the Seimas a denunciation of the latter convention.

 

Lithuania joined the convention, which aims to eliminate anti-personnel mines, in 2004. The treaty committed not to use, develop, produce, acquire, stockpile, keep or transfer anti-personnel mines.

 

The VGT consists of the President, the Supreme Commander of the State Armed Forces, the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Seimas, the Minister of National Defence and the Commander of the Armed Forces. The Council is headed by the President."

 

 

AAAAkvadratu's comment:

 

"According to G. Nausėda, achieving 5–6% of GDP financing for defense is possible without violating the criteria of fiscal discipline, if resources are properly redistributed, and unnecessary functions in other areas of public life are also abandoned.

 

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What are these unnecessary functions that cost Lithuania 2 billion euros annually? Why haven't we given up on them yet if they are unnecessary?"

 

The conflict in Gaza is over. The conflict in Ukraine is also ending. It is not possible these days to expel people from their places of residence, including to expel the Russians from Crimea and Donbass, where they live. Therefore, the Lithuanian government is running after a train that has already left. Let's stop, let's think about how we will invest money in peaceful and profitable work.