VILNIUS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda on Thursday urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to put into practice a rotational air defense model, during talks with Alexus Grynkewich, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
The rotational air defense model must be implemented as agreed at the Vilnius Summit, Nauseda said in a presidential office statement, noting the latest incident in Poland underscores the need to strengthen air defense across the region.
He added that the system should function consistently, similar to the Baltic Air Policing mission. The model, endorsed at the NATO summit in Vilnius in 2023, envisages rotating allied air defense weapons in the Baltic States on a nearly permanent basis.
The president and the NATO commander also discussed issues including regional security, U.S. troop presence in Lithuania, defense spending, and military support for Ukraine.
Nauseda pledged that Lithuania will allocate 5.25 percent of GDP to defense starting in 2026. ■
