U.S. Arms Drain Increases Worries Over Ability to Deter China, Russia

 

“The U.S. has rushed so many munitions to the Middle East to fight Iran that military planners are concerned the loss of firepower is diminishing America's ability to defend against potential threats from China and Russia, U.S. officials said.

 

The cuts have been so deep the U.S. inventories in Europe of PAC-3 Patriot air defense interceptors and Atacms surface-to-surface missiles are deemed to be "beyond critical," some of the officials said.

 

The U.S. and Iran have mostly halted direct attacks in recent weeks. But a concern is that refilling weapons stocks moved from countries like Japan, South Korea and Germany could take years, leaving soft spots in the U.S. global military posture even as Western military officials don't assess that full-scale attacks by China and Russia are imminent, officials said.

 

In addition to Patriot interceptors, other European-based weapons have been drawn down to extremely low levels, including precision-strike missiles and guided rockets, officials said. Thaad antimissile interceptors and Merops counterdrone systems have also been sent from Europe to the Middle East, further diminishing supplies on the continent.

 

The shrinking inventories have led the U.S. European Command to adjust its operational plans, officials said.

 

They have also increasingly led administration officials to assess that the U.S. couldn't fully execute contingency plans to defend Taiwan from a Chinese invasion if it occurred in the near term, The Wall Street Journal has previously reported.

 

Each move of military forces and assets to the Middle East, including munitions, would have required approval by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who manages an "orders book" that directs the movement of military assets, around the world under longstanding Pentagon procedures.

 

The White House said the U.S. has sufficient missiles to continue fighting Iran for the foreseeable future and to meet other global threats.

 

"The United States Military has more than enough munitions, ammo, and stockpiles to serve all of President Trump's strategic goals and beyond," White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said. "Even still, the president has urged our defense contractors to constantly produce more made-in-America weapons."

 

The Associated Press earlier reported that the U.S. military in Europe was experiencing a "beyond critical" shortage of Patriot missile interceptors. A spokesman for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's military headquarters said the 32-member alliance has a sufficient supply of air defense interceptors, but he didn't address the declining U.S. stocks of PAC-3s, which are the most advanced type of Patriot interceptors.

 

"NATO has enough air defense munitions, including Patriot missiles, to defend ourselves," Col. Martin O'Donnell said. "And we still have enough to continue to donate to Ukraine."

 

The demand on U.S. stockpiles from the war in Iran has been enormous. By mid-July, the U.S. had expended about 1,700 Patriot air defense interceptors and more than 200 Thaad antimissile interceptors in the war, officials said. U.S. Navy ships had fired another 150 Standard Missile interceptors to take out Iranian missiles and drones, the officials said.

 

Independent analysts have estimated similar numbers for some of these systems based on budgetary estimates.

 

Throughout the war, Iran has fired more than 1,500 ballistic missiles and 6,000 large drones, officials said. That number has climbed as the regime continues to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

 

The U.S. military has taken steps to conserve its interceptor stocks. It has refrained from retaliating against Iran's attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. officials have debated the effectiveness of tit-for-tat strikes that drained munitions. Trump, a Republican, also decided to pause strikes on Iran in late July amid a debate over munitions levels.

 

Some older Tomahawk cruise missiles have been refurbished to try to augment weapons levels, one official said.

 

Some lawmakers said they are particularly concerned by persistent reports of Russian hybrid attacks, including explosive drones found at an airport in Germany that U.S. officials say are likely linked to Moscow. Trump recently sent his spy chief to Moscow, following recent intelligence assessments that President Vladimir Putin of Russia might test the alliance's resolve within a few years.

 

Adding to the European anxieties, the Pentagon is conducting a review of the U.S. military posture on the continent, which could lead to further reductions in American forces there.

 

The Trump administration has declined to discuss which weapons have been shifted from Europe and Asia and how many remain in those regions. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell denied the U.S. was facing significant munitions shortages abroad.

 

"Claims of U.S. munition shortages are false. When the fake news media irresponsibly amplifies these lies, the real-world consequence is clear: our enemies are emboldened to provoke -- or attack -- American troops," Parnell said.

 

The declining weapons stocks come as allies are experiencing delays in obtaining munitions they have purchased from the U.S.

 

The limited stocks also are sharply limiting the West's ability to send interceptors to Ukraine, where Russian missile attacks have recently many military targets due to a shortage of air defense munitions, officials said.

 

The U.S. also has moved air defense units from Europe and the Pacific to the Middle East to defend against Iranian threats, extending their deployments and putting a strain on the military's ability to respond to potential crises in the future, officials said. U.S. air defense units have destroyed thousands of Iranian projectiles throughout the war to protect military bases, energy infrastructure and population centers from missiles and drones, officials say.

 

Unable to force concessions from Iran with military power, Trump is reverting to economic pressure. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said the new focus will avoid the need to return to major combat with Iran, at least in the near term.

 

But Arab officials and former U.S. officials say economic sanctions could prompt Tehran to retaliate militarily against their vulnerable infrastructure. That could put the shrinking inventory of American antimissile interceptors to the test.

 

"Iran has agency," said Daniel Shapiro, a former Pentagon official in the Biden administration who is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council think tank. "It certainly has the willingness to absorb enormous pain, but it also has tools to try to impose pain on us and on the global economy. And those tools are likely to involve military actions that the U.S. would almost certainly have to respond to."” [1]

 

So all those new sanctions are the way to tempt the lion.

 

1. U.S. Arms Drain Increases Worries Over Ability to Deter China, Russia. Holliday, Shelby; Gordon, Michael R; Seligman, Lara.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y.. 29 Aug 2026: A1. 

Scientist: 90 percent of the soil is severely depleted. This means that most farmers in Lithuania are parasites and destroyers of their homeland. Where are politicians and bureaucrats looking? Why are they not working?

“Virginija Podėnienė, professor of biodiversity at VilniusUniversity, says that aggressive farming is reducing the biological value ofthe soil. This threatens with a decrease in yield, higher investments andpollution of water bodies.”

 

Our deep concern and anger about the state of Lithuania’s soil is understandable – it is indeed a critically important state resource that determines our food security and the future of nature.

 

Why did farmers find themselves in such a situation?

• Economic pressure: For decades, market laws and large buyers have demanded the cheapest possible production. In order to survive and compete in the global market, farmers are forced to maximize yields, often using intensive chemical farming methods. Who in Lithuania does not want to maximize money? No fools.

• Lack of knowledge and support: There has been a long lack of government support and clear guidelines for switching to more sustainable, soil-conserving technologies.

• Financial risk: Switching to organic or sustainable farming (such as no-till direct sowing) requires significant investments in new equipment, and the first years are often unprofitable due to reduced yields.

What are politicians and bureaucrats doing?

Major changes are currently underway in Lithuania and the European Union (EU), although they are often criticized for being too slow:

• The EU Green Deal: Politicians are trying to address this crisis through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Currently, direct payments to farmers are increasingly linked to so-called “eco-schemes” – financial incentives for growing catch crops, no-till farming and reducing chemical fertilizers.

• Increasingly stringent requirements: The bureaucratic apparatus is constantly tightening control over the use of nitrates and pesticides in order to protect groundwater and soil.

• Reasons for slowness: Changes are stalling because they are trying to find a balance between environmental protection and the country's economic stability. A sudden radical restriction on fertilizers could drastically reduce food production and raise prices for consumers.

Many Lithuanian farmers themselves notice the deteriorating quality of their soil and are actively looking for solutions, but this requires consistent support from state leaders, not just bans. If there is no such support, there is no such support. Leaders are collecting kickbacks from the defense industry and buying villas in Greece. Just in case.

 

Mokslininkė: 90 proc. dirvožemio stipriai nualinta. Tai reiškia, kad dauguma ūkininkų Lietuvoje yra parazitai ir gimtinės naikintojai. Kur žiūri politikai ir biurokratai? Kodėl nedirba?

“Vilniaus universiteto biologinės įvairovės profesorėVirginija Podėnienė sako, kad agresyvus ūkininkavimas mažina dirvožemiobiologinę vertę. Tai gresia derliaus sumažėjimu, didesnėmis investicijomis irvandens telkinių užterštumu.”

 

Suprantamas mūsų gilus susirūpinimas ir pyktis dėl Lietuvos dirvožemio būklės – tai iš tiesų yra kritiškai svarbus valstybės išteklius, lemiantis mūsų maisto saugumą ir gamtos ateitį.

 

Kodėl ūkininkai atsidūrė tokioje situacijoje?

•           Ekonominis spaudimas: Dešimtmečius rinkos dėsniai ir didieji supirkėjai reikalavo kuo pigesnės produkcijos. Norėdami išgyventi ir konkuruoti globalioje rinkoje, ūkininkai yra priversti maksimizuoti derlių, dažnai naudodami intensyvios cheminės žemdirbystės metodus. Kas Lietuvoje nenori maksimizuoti pinigus? Nėra durnių.

•           Žinių ir paramos trūkumas: Ilgą laiką trūko valstybinio skatinimo ir aiškių gairių, kaip pereiti prie tvaresnių, dirvožemį tausojančių, technologijų.

•           Finansinė rizika: Perėjimas prie ekologinio ar tausojančio ūkininkavimo (pavyzdžiui, tiesioginės sėjos be arimo) reikalauja didelių investicijų į naują techniką, o pirmieji metai dažnai būna nuostolingi dėl sumažėjusio derliaus.

Ką daro politikai ir biurokratai?

Lietuvos ir Europos Sąjungos (ES) mastu šiuo metu vyksta dideli pokyčiai, nors jie dažnai kritikuojami dėl per lėto tempo:

•           ES Žaliasis kursas: Politikai bando spręsti šią krizę per Bendrąją žemės ūkio politiką (BŽŪP). Šiuo metu ūkininkams skiriamos tiesioginės išmokos yra vis labiau siejamos su vadinamosiomis „ekoschemomis“ – finansinėmis paskatomis už tarpinių pasėlių auginimą, neariminę žemdirbystę ir cheminių trąšų mažinimą.

•           Griežtėjantys reikalavimai: Biurokratinis aparatas nuolat griežtina nitratų ir pesticidų naudojimo kontrolę, siekiant apsaugoti požeminius vandenis ir dirvą.

•           Lėtumo priežastys: Pokyčiai stringa, nes bandoma rasti balansą tarp gamtosaugos ir šalies ekonominio stabilumo. Staigus radikalus trąšų ribojimas galėtų drastiškai sumažinti maisto gamybą ir pakelti kainas vartotojams.

Daugelis Lietuvos ūkininkų patys pastebi prastėjančią dirvos kokybę ir aktyviai ieško sprendimų, tačiau tam reikalingas nuoseklus valstybės vadovų palaikymas, o ne tik draudimai. To palaikymo, kaip nėra, taip nėra. Vadovai renka otkatus iš gynybos pramonės ir perka vilas Graikijoje.

 

 

 

 

Germany Is Jumping in Joy. They Have Their Own Musk. Without Tesla, Without SpaceX, Without Mars, Without Serious Money --- Investors are flocking to his Neura Robotics: David Reger aims to create a global leader in robotics.

“There are skeptics—but tech giants like Amazon and Nvidia believe he can do it and are investing heavily. The question was not whether the new funding round would happen, but rather when it would take place and how large it would be. For months, David Reger had been negotiating intensively with investors around the globe. Critics had interpreted the prolonged process as a sign of difficult talks. Yet on Wednesday, Reger swept all doubts aside and made a powerful statement: his company, Neura Robotics, raised $1.4 billion—marking the largest funding round ever for a German start-up. This comes at a time when the potential IPOs of SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic are attracting capital the way a high-powered magnet draws iron filings.

 

The list of backers includes big names: Nvidia and Amazon are involved, as are semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm and crypto firm Tether. From Germany, Bosch and Schaeffler have come on board, alongside several financial investors. They evidently believe Reger can achieve something that not everyone in his home country initially thought possible: transforming Neura Robotics—based in the Swabian provinces—into a major global player capable of holding its own against dominant Chinese competitors as well as Elon Musk and his ambitious plans for Tesla. Is David Reger the next founder-CEO of a multi-billion-dollar corporation—someone following in the footsteps of SAP’s founders and destined to become a billionaire himself?

 

Publicly, Reger downplays the figures. "The $1.4 billion isn't the most important thing," he tells the *F.A.Z.* Far more significant, he says, is "the trust placed in our vision of 'Physical AI' by some of the world's leading technology, industrial, and AI companies." This capital gives Neura the opportunity to build the future. "Physical AI" is the core of his business model; it combines artificial intelligence (AI) with German robotics engineering. "Many people still believe robotics is primarily a hardware problem," says Reger. But that isn't the case. "The biggest challenge is learning, and a robot can only be as good as the experiences it is allowed to gather." That is why his company built the Neuraverse, an ecosystem for its own robot models—of which there are now several.

 

"Our goal is to create the world's largest infrastructure for learning physical skills," Reger states confidently. American investors like that sort of thing.

 

Reger founded his company in 2019. A trained technician, he actually preferred tinkering with fast cars; he ended up—somewhat by chance—at a Swiss machinery manufacturer before striking out on his own. The native of Baden-Württemberg chose Metzingen as the company headquarters for strategic reasons, given its location just outside Stuttgart. Until then, the town was known primarily for Hugo Boss and as a massive outlet shopping destination.

 

With his small team, Reger developed both the mechanics and the software in-house; he collaborated with Chinese partners but never relinquished control of the patents.

 

At one point, he even mortgaged his house to overcome a financial crunch. For the past few years, however, Neura has been in the fast lane, manufacturing robot systems for clients such as Kawasaki. While Neura does not disclose revenue figures, it frequently highlights firm orders totaling around one billion euros—a claim that cannot be independently verified.

 

For years, Reger has been acquiring one industrial building after another in the Metzingen business park, building up his own cluster. Top state politicians—on the lookout for industrial beacons of hope in a struggling automotive heartland—have long been making a habit of visiting the site. "Look here: we are still the land of engineers"—that is the message conveyed by many of the resulting photos.

 

Neura has also long since established a branch in Munich—the hub of the German tech scene—which is a must for any tech company, if only to attract international talent.

 

From the very beginning, the 38-year-old family man has focused not only on the technology itself but also on the broader framework and societal implications. Reger speaks of a "historic turning point." In the coming years, significantly more people possessing valuable skills will retire in Europe, Japan, and China than will enter the workforce to replace them. At the same time, the demand for physical labor is growing. "Physical AI is therefore a necessity, not an option." The decisive question in the competition of the coming decades will be how quickly skills can be acquired. For a human, this often takes years. "In the future, a robot will learn the same skill within hours and then be able to transfer it to thousands of other machines with a single click," predicts Reger. "That fundamentally changes the economy."

 

For him, Physical AI is one of the few technologies where areas where Europe can still operate from a position of strength. Reger aims for nothing less than to take up the mantle of the automotive industry. "I often say internally: We want to become Europe’s largest taxpayer one day, because that would mean we’ve created something that helps millions of people, enables hundreds of thousands of jobs, and makes a genuine contribution to our society." Success, he believes, is also measured by what one gives back.

 

Reger has articulated certain expectations regarding this, advocating, for instance, for relaxed employment protection regulations for very young companies. He feels that founders face too many obstacles in Germany. When Reger gets talking, his thoughts—often tinged with the idioms of his home region—tend to pour out of him.

 

Neura’s next growth steps are funded for the time being. The challenges remain immense: autonomous humanoid robots are not an end in themselves. Their widespread industrial deployment must make economic sense for companies. Until then, Neura—like its competitors—faces a great deal of development work. An industry expert compares the current stage of development to that of autonomous driving a decade ago.

 

Reger, now a recognized figure within the global tech elite, is undeterred by this. "We want to bring AI out of the screen and into the real world—not to replace people, but to support them." If Neura succeeds, he believes "Physical AI" will become one of the most positive developments of our generation. "The real work starts now." [1]

Right.

 

1. Investoren stürzen sich auf Neura Robotics: David Reger will einen Weltmarktführer in der Robotik schaffen. Es gibt Zweifler - aber Tech-Giganten wie Amazon und Nvidia trauen ihm das zu und geben sehr viel Geld. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; Frankfurt. 12 June 2026: 28.  Von Sven Astheimer, Frankfurt

„Sauna karšta ir nepatogi“: balsavimo dėl E.U. pokalbiai priverčia Islandiją prakaituoti. Lietuvos narystė ES yra pasiekta klastojimo keliu, todėl neteisėta

„Paprastai draugiška šalis yra karčiai susiskaldžiusi dėl, šį savaitgalį vykstančio, balsavimo dėl narystės derybų su Europos Sąjunga.

 

Gudlaug Bjornsdottir perspėjo savo šeimą. Jei kalbos prie pietų stalo pakryptų apie artėjantį Islandijos referendumą dėl derybų dėl narystės Europos Sąjungoje pradžios, ji atsikeltų ir išeitų.

 

Apklausos rodo, kad šeštadienį vyks balsavimas smarkiai susiskaldžiusioje šalyje. Daugelis žmonių turi tvirtą nuomonę apie tai, ar Islandija turėtų išlaikyti sunkiai iškovotą nepriklausomybę, ar siekti stabilumo ir apsaugos, kurią suteiktų ES. narystė.

 

Taigi galbūt neišvengiamai, nepaisant ponios Bjornsdottir įspėjimų, vakarienės pokalbis mažame Talknafjordur miestelyje vieną neseniai penktadienį galiausiai atsidūrė referendume. „Aš išeinu, nori to ar ne“, – atsistojo ponia Bjornsdottir ir tarė rankoje tebelaikanti vyno taurę.

 

Jos šeima pažadėjo daugiau apie tai nekalbėti, ir ji grįžo į savo vietą.

 

Šie mainai atokiuose Islandijos šiaurės vakaruose apėmė neįprastai karštas diskusijas šioje išdidžiai malonioje tautoje dėl to, kas galėtų būti takoskyros momentas jos 400 000 žmonių. Jei balsavimas bus sėkmingas, šalis pradės ilgus metus trunkantį ES procesą. stojimo derybas. Pasiekus susitarimą, bus surengtas antrasis referendumas, ar iš tikrųjų prisijungti prie bloko.

 

Daugelis islandų ištisus mėnesius grumdavosi, kaip kalbėti vieni su kitais apie nesutarimą keliantį pasirinkimą.

 

„Tai tapo kažkuo „karšta bulve“, – elektroniniame laiške rašė Arni Ingolfssonas, 55 metų technologijų įmonės programų vadovas. Jis teigė vengiantis kalbėtis su savo bendradarbiais ir net artimu giminaičiu šiuo klausimu.

 

„Tai bombarduoja visus iš visų pusių – visur“, – sakė 31 metų Islandijos studentų advokatė Lisa Margret Gunnarsdottir. Ji teigė, kad jos artimoje šeimoje buvo didelių nesutarimų ir apie nieką daugiau niekas nekalbėjo.

 

„Šiais laikais pirtyje karšta ir nepatogu“, – sakė turizmo srityje dirbanti 57 metų Greta Gudjonsdottir. Ji sakė dar neapsisprendusi, kaip balsuos, bet tiesiog nori, kad viskas būtų baigta.

 

Šiuo balsavimu islandai bando išsiaiškinti geriausią kelią į priekį vis labiau nestabiliame ir susiskaldžiusiame pasaulyje. Daugelį metų jie neturėjo pagrindo abejoti, kad jų šalis išliks saugi, stabili ir suvereni. Tada NATO, kuriai Islandija jau seniai patikėjo savo saugumą, spaudžiama prezidento Trumpo grasino įtrūkti, o pasaulinę ekonomiką sukrėtė karai, klimato kaita ir muitai.

 

Kai kurie „taip“ balsuotojai sako, kad Islandija turėtų siekti stiprybės skaičiumi ir finansinio stabilumo, priklausydama vienam didžiausių pasaulio ekonominių blokų, siekdama stojimo į ES.

 

Daugelis oponentų nerimauja, kad narystė bloke Islandijai kainuotų autonomiją keliais frontais. Islandai puikiai žino, kad jų šalis visišką nepriklausomybę įgijo tik 1944 m., po šimtmečius trukusio Norvegijos ir Danijos valdymo.

 

Žvejyba plačiai vertinama kaip didžiausias susirūpinimas dėl ES. narystė, o daugelis „ne“ balsavusiųjų nerimauja, kad prisijungimas prie bloko gali pakenkti šiai svarbiai pramonei.

 

„Šios diskusijos atrodo labai egzistencinės“, – sakė Islandijos Bifrosto universiteto politikos profesorius Eirikur Bergmann. „Tai tikrai kova dėl to, kur priklauso Islandija“.

 

Žinoma, Islandija ir anksčiau patyrė ginčų.

 

2008 m. pasaulinė finansų krizė šalį paveikė ypač stipriai – žlugo jos bankai, smuko valiuta. Nesantaika paskatino Islandiją ištirti ES. narystė, tačiau šios pastangos nutrūko, kai jos ekonomika pradėjo atsigauti.

 

Vis dėlto daugelis islandų prisimena tą ekonominį netikrumą, kuris skatina abiejų pusių diskusijas dėl referendumo. Vieni mano, kad prisijungimas prie Europos ekonominio bloko gali padėti sumažinti Islandijos aukštą infliaciją ir palūkanų normas, o kiti nerimauja, kad tai gali apkrauti šalį taisyklėmis, dėl kurių ji tampa mažiau judri.

 

Ponia Bjornsdottir ir jos vyras Thoras Magnussonas, kurie neseniai vakarieniavo su šeima Talknafjordur mieste, gyvena iš žuvies. Jis išeina vienas į laivą. Jie kartu ruošia laimikį ir parduoda žuvį iš stiklinio namo, kuris veikia pagal garbės sistemą.

 

Kaip ir kiti Islandijos žvejai, jie mano, kad likdami už ES ribų leis jiems labiau kontroliuoti savo likimą.

 

Diskursas dėl referendumo tapo toks karštas, kad Reikjaviko universiteto teisės profesorė Margret Einarsdottir sakė matanti amerikietiško stiliaus poliarizacijos ir dezinformacijos atgarsius kai kuriuose bjauriausiuose vidaus diskusijų kampeliuose.

 

„Man liūdna, kiek pykčio šioje diskusijoje“, – sakė ji. Islandai nevengia nesutarimų. Tačiau tai jaučiasi kitaip, sakė ji ir kiti ekspertai.

 

„Mes nesame prie to pripratę“, – sakė dr. Einarsdottir.

 

Kiti į dalykus žiūri pozityviau, sakydami, kad gerai, kad islandai gali atvirai, bet nuoširdžiai nesutikti ir vis tiek išlaikyti savo tvirtus bendruomeninius ryšius.

 

„Tai gyvos diskusijos, kurios taip pat yra sveikas demokratijos ženklas“, – sakė Bjarni Mar Magnusson, advokatų kontoros „Polestar“ partneris ir buvęs Bifrosto universiteto Teisės fakulteto dekanas.

 

Hallgrimuras Oddssonas, Islandijos ekspertų grupės „Evropustraumar“, kurios pagrindinis dėmesys skiriamas santykiams su ES, įkūrėjas, sakė, kad nepaisant pykčio, islandai vis dar vienija tas pačias vertybes.

 

„Galų gale, - pridūrė jis, - mes vis tiek galime pasikalbėti su savo kaimynu.“" [1]

 

Duokite visiems balsavusiems "už" po bonką alaus, kaip padarė Lietuvos elitas referendume už ES narystę. Alkoholikai subėga ir išgelbėja elitą.

 

2003 m. gegužės 10–11 dienomis vykęs istorinis referendumas dėl Lietuvos narystės Europos Sąjungoje iš tiesų įstrigo atmintyje dėl unikalios ir vėliau daug diskusijų sukėlusios skatinimo akcijos.

Pirmąją referendumo dieną aktyvumas buvo labai žemas – balsavo vos 23,01 proc. rinkėjų. Kadangi referendumui galiojo griežtas reikalavimas, jog jame privalo dalyvauti daugiau nei pusė balso teisę turinčių piliečių, iškilo reali grėsmė, kad balsavimas žlugs dėl per mažo aktyvumo.

Siekdamas gelbėti situaciją, prekybos tinklas „VP Market“ (dabartinė „Maxima“) antrąją referendumo dieną paskelbė akciją:

•           Kiekvienas rinkėjas, prie balsadėžės gavęs lipduką „Aš balsavau“, parduotuvėje galėjo nusipirkti prekių vos už 1 centą.

•           Tarp siūlomų prekių pasirinkimo buvo alaus butelis, šokoladukas, skalbimo milteliai arba gaivieji gėrimai.

Ši akcija, kartu su didžiuliu politikų bei visuomenės veikėjų spaudimu, suveikė – antrąją dieną žmonės plūstelėjo prie balsadėžių. Bendras referendumo aktyvumas pasiekė 63,37 proc., o net 91,07 proc. dalyvavusiųjų prognozuojamai pasisakė už Lietuvos narystę ES. 

 

Nors šis įvykis iki šiol vertinamas prieštaringai ir dažnai prisimenamas su ironija, kaip „balsavimas už alų ir miltelius“, jis teisiškai neįtvirtino Lietuvos stojimą į ES, nes panašios prekybininkų akcijos per rinkimus vėliau buvo uždraustos.

1. ‘The Sauna Is Hot and Uncomfortable’: Vote on E.U. Talks Makes Iceland Sweat. Nierenberg, Amelia; Bjarnason, Egill.  New York Times (Online) New York Times Company. Aug 28, 2026.