Presidential adviser: Lithuania more secure after NATO summit in Wales

The solidarity with Lithuania that NATO allies have previously shown has been backed by concrete practical commitments, she said in an interview to the Žinių Radijas radio.

The chief advisor to President Dalia Grybauskaitė noted that defensive plans have been upgraded and a defensive action plan was confirmed.

Būdienė said that NATO allied headquarters will be established in Lithuania and will be responsible for coordinating the needed reinforcements and collective defence exercises. Next, NATO Response Force reaction time will be improved, extremely high alertness forces will be established and will be able to arrive in a matter of hours if needed.

However, the advisor said that Lithuania has to provide the needed infrastructure to receive the allied forces, to establish necessary conditions, such as storing and supply. Furthermore, defence funding, which is now crucial, has to be increased to 2 percent of the GDP.