EU Expands Defence Cooperation with US in Joint Arms Deals

Lithuania's Deputy National Defense Minister, Greta Monika Tučkutė, has called for European countries to include American companies in defense procurement, emphasizing the importance of the transatlantic bond in deterring adversaries. While some European countries advocate for strategic autonomy and spending European money on European companies, Central and Eastern European countries, closer to the front lines and threatened by Russia, are more inclined to purchase American weaponry. Tučkutė suggests that the European Defense Fund could also support projects involving U.S. companies collaborating with European defense contractors. Lithuania has significantly increased its defense spending and is diversifying its weapons acquisitions from various countries, including France, Germany, and the United States, to strengthen its defense capabilities against potential adversaries like Russia and China.