The Baltic States and Poland will seek more European Union funding to secure the eastern border, Lithuanian Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekunas has said.
“We must stand together and speak with one voice to attract the attention of other European countries, making it clear that this is not just our national border, but the external border of the entire EU,” Vaitiekunas said during the signing of the joint declaration on April 24.
In the statement, ministers responsible for finance and economy have called for greater defence priority in the new European Union multiannual budget.
“We feel the pressure on our financial systems, fiscal systems and economies. Every euro contributed by other countries to the security of the eastern border helps share this financial and economic burden,” Vaitiekunas said.
The countries also called for stable support for Ukraine, which they said was defending the rest of Europe from military aggression.
The finance ministers argued that the European Union was not sharing the defence funding burden equally, noting that countries on the eastern flank allocated significantly more to defence.
Estonian Finance Minister Jurgen Ligi stated that the Baltic States were “carrying a heavier burden than other European nations” and emphasised that European Union policy should better take into account regional differences.
While ministers expressed satisfaction with the European Union’s vision to increase security funding for 2028-2034, they maintained that the bloc could do more.
Polish Finance and Economy Minister Andrzej Domanski urged all EU member states to contribute more actively to European defence, emphasising that the Baltic States and Poland were already paying a high economic price for the war in Ukraine.
“We expect all member states to become more involved in the process of ensuring European security. It must be clear to everyone that Europe needs new tools and new rules to strengthen our continent,” the Polish minister said.
According to the Lithuanian Finance Ministry, the declaration highlights the negative impact of Russia’s aggression on regional economies, citing slower GDP growth, reduced trade flows and difficulties in attracting foreign direct investment. (LRT)