Editing Lithuania (section)

===Military===
{{Main|Lithuanian Armed Forces}}
[[File:Closing ceremony for Iron Sword 2014.jpg|right|thumb|Lithuanian Army soldiers with their [[NATO]] allies during Iron Sword 2014]]
[[File:Lithuanian PzH 2000 unit during exercises.jpg|right|thumb|Lithuanian [[Panzerhaubitze 2000]] firing during an exercise in 2022]]
The Lithuanian Armed Forces is the name for the unified armed forces of [[Lithuanian Land Force]], [[Lithuanian Air Force]], [[Lithuanian Naval Force]], [[Lithuanian Special Operations Force]] and other units: Logistics Command, Training and Doctrine Command, Headquarters Battalion, [[Lithuanian Military Police|Military Police]]. Directly subordinated to the [[Chief of Defence]] are the [[Special Operations Forces]] and Military Police. The Reserve Forces are under command of the [[Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces]].

The Lithuanian Armed Forces consist of some 20,000 active personnel, which may be supported by [[reserve forces]].<ref>{{cite book |last=IISS |title=The Military Balance 2019|year=2019 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-85743-988-5}}</ref> Compulsory [[conscription]] ended in 2008 but was reintroduced in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.delfi.lt/politics/conscription-notices-to-be-sent-to-37-000-men-in-lithuania.d?id=67940028|title=Conscription notices to be sent to 37,000 men in Lithuania|website=DELFI|access-date=24 July 2019|archive-date=3 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201103002530/https://en.delfi.lt/politics/conscription-notices-to-be-sent-to-37-000-men-in-lithuania.d?id=67940028|url-status=live}}</ref> The Lithuanian Armed Forces currently have 30 soldiers and officers participating in nine international operations and European Union training missions deployed in [[Kosovo]], [[Iraq]], [[Central African Republic]], [[Djibouti]], [[Mozambique]], [[Spain]], [[Italy]], and in the [[United Kingdom]], providing training for Ukrainian soldiers on [[Operation Interflex]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 May 2024 |title=LR Krašto apsaugos ministerija |url=https://kam.lt/en/international-operations-and-training-missions/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kariuomene.lt/en/2024-training-cycle-for-the-ukrainian-military-begins-lithuanian-instructors-depart-for-operation-interflex/25739|title=2024 training cycle for the Ukrainian military begins: Lithuanian instructors depart for Operation Interflex &#124; Lithuanian army}}</ref>

Lithuania became a full member of [[NATO]] in March 2004. [[Fighter jets]] of NATO members are deployed in [[Šiauliai Air Base]] and [[Baltic Air Policing|provide safety for the Baltic airspace]].

Beginning in summer of 2005, Lithuania was part of the [[International Security Assistance Force]] in Afghanistan (ISAF), leading a [[Provincial Reconstruction Team]] (PRT) in the town of [[Chaghcharan]] in the province of [[Ghor]]. The PRT included personnel from [[Denmark]], Iceland and the [[US]]. There were also [[Lithuanian Special Operations Force|special operation forces]] units in Afghanistan, placed in [[Kandahar Province]]. Since joining international operations in 1994, Lithuania has lost two soldiers: Lt. Normundas Valteris fell in [[Bosnia]], as his patrol vehicle drove over a mine. Sgt. Arūnas Jarmalavičius was fatally wounded during an attack on the camp of his Provincial Reconstruction Team in [[Afghanistan]].<ref>{{in lang|lt}} [http://kariuomene.kam.lt/en/international_operations_1446/in_remembrance.html In remembrance] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181018173406/http://kariuomene.kam.lt/en/international_operations_1446/in_remembrance.html |date=18 October 2018}}. Kariuomene.kam.lt. Retrieved on 24 December 2011.</ref>

The Lithuanian National Defence Policy aims to guarantee the preservation of the [[independence]] and [[sovereignty]] of the state, the [[integrity]] of its land, territorial waters and airspace, and its constitutional order. Its main strategic goals are to defend the country's interests, and to maintain and expand the capabilities of its armed forces so they may contribute to and participate in the missions of NATO and European Union member states.<ref name="WB">{{cite web |url=http://www.kam.lt/kam/download/7963/bk-en1.pdf |title=White Paper Lithuanian defence policy |language=lt |website=Kam.lt |access-date=25 April 2010 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031046/http://www.kam.lt/kam/download/7963/bk-en1.pdf}}</ref>

The [[Ministry of National Defence (Lithuania)|defense ministry]] is responsible for combat forces, [[search and rescue]], and intelligence operations. The 5,000 [[State Border Guard Service (Lithuania)|border guards]] fall under the [[Interior Ministry]]'s supervision and are responsible for border protection, passport and customs duties, and share responsibility with the [[Lithuanian Naval Force|navy]] for [[smuggling]] and drug trafficking interdiction. A special security department handles VIP protection and [[communications security]]. In 2015 [[National Cyber Security Centre of Lithuania]] was created. Paramilitary organisation [[Lithuanian Riflemen's Union]] acts as a civilian self-defence institution.

According to NATO, in 2020, Lithuania allocated 2.13% of its [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] to the national defense.<ref name="nato-lt-spending">{{cite web|title=Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2013-2020)|url=https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2021/3/pdf/210316-pr-2020-30-en.pdf|publisher=NATO|date=16 March 2021|access-date=23 April 2021|archive-date=5 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505115056/https://www.nato.int/nato_static_fl2014/assets/pdf/2021/3/pdf/210316-pr-2020-30-en.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> For a long time, especially after the [[2008 financial crisis]], Lithuania lagged behind NATO allies in terms of defence spending. However, in recent years it has begun to rapidly increase the funding, exceeding the NATO guideline of 2% in 2019.

Lithuania's president [[Gitanas Nausėda]] called for more NATO troops on 22 April 2022, saying NATO should increase its deployment of troops in Lithuania and elsewhere on Europe's eastern flank following [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's invasion of Ukraine]], during a meeting in Vilnius.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lithuania's president calls for more NATO troops |url=https://wtvbam.com/2022/04/22/lithuanias-president-calls-for-more-nato-troops/ |access-date=22 April 2022 |website=WTVB}}</ref>