United States and Lithuania sign critical minerals agreement

The United States and Lithuania have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the secure and diversified supply of critical minerals. The agreement, signed by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, aims to reduce strategic dependencies and enhance supply chain resilience.

Under the memorandum, the two nations will collaborate to identify priority projects within the next six months, utilizing both government resources and private sector financing. The partnership focuses on mining, processing, and recycling, leveraging Lithuania’s capacity in high-tech manufacturing and material processing.

Secretary Rubio emphasized that the secure supply and processing of critical minerals are central to the modern economy and are vital for both economic and national defense. The cooperation also extends to supporting investment in the photonics sector, which involves the production and control of light-based technologies.