Lithuania faces military procurement crisis amid rising defense spending

Lithuania is facing significant challenges in its military procurement system despite record-breaking defense spending. An audit by the National Audit Office revealed that the rate of failed procurement procedures has surged from 24 percent in 2023 to 59 percent in 2025.

Key issues identified include bureaucratic delays, changing requirements, and inadequate coordination between ministry departments. In 42 percent of analyzed cases, internal coordination lasted between 30 and 374 days, far exceeding the recommended 180–240 day window for international processes.

Lithuanian military leadership, including General Romas Valdemaras Vaikšnoras, has emphasized the need to maintain current defense funding levels—planned at 5.38 percent of GDP—to ensure development does not stall. Vaikšnoras noted that bureaucracy is a systemic issue that hinders the ability to integrate new capabilities and warned that attempting to 'do more with less' is not a viable strategy for national security.