U.S. and Baltic states vow stronger defense, Ukraine support

Reuters

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to NATO as he hosted defense ministers from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, praising their strong defense spending and united stance on Ukraine.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with his Baltic counterparts—Estonia's Hanno Pevkur, Latvia's Andris Spruds, and Lithuania's Dovile Sakaliene—at the Pentagon on Friday to discuss enhanced defense cooperation and NATO commitments.

Hegseth emphasized the U.S.'s continued dedication to NATO and applauded the Baltic states’ pledge to allocate 5% of their GDP toward defense, a goal NATO has set for 2035.

"Together we're achieving peace through strength in Europe by setting the conditions for negotiated lasting peace in Ukraine, establishing sustainable deterrence, and increasing ally capabilities and interoperability," he added.

The ministers highlighted their countries’ ongoing efforts to boost military readiness, and support Ukraine.

Lithuania, in particular, invited U.S. defense companies to invest, offering tax incentives and advanced technology opportunities.

All leaders stressed the importance of transatlantic unity and deeper collaboration in response to global threats.

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