Budrys: NATO Must Boost Deterrence After Drone Incidents

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  September 18, 2026 at 22:51  |  6:31  |  Bloomberg Markets
Speakers
Kęstutis Budrys — Lithuanian Foreign Minister

Summary

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys tells Bloomberg that NATO must strengthen deterrence after more than 60 Russian drone and missile incursions into allied airspace, including a drone with explosives over Lithuania. He discusses Lithuania's critical minerals cooperation with the U.S. and its potential role in processing, recycling, stockpiling and logistics. He also defends Lithuania's defense spending at 5.4% of GDP plus an additional 1.5%, urging more NATO allies to join the 5% club.

  • Russian drone flew from Belarus into Lithuanian airspace; NATO forces shot it down.
  • Budrys says more than 60 drone or missile incidents have occurred in NATO airspace.
  • He calls for increased air defense, border deployments, and stronger deterrence.
  • China's critical-minerals export controls are pushing Western supply-chain diversification.
  • Lithuania seeks a role in critical minerals processing, recycling, stockpiling, and logistics.
  • Lithuania spends 5.4% of GDP on hard security plus 1.5% additional, nearly 7%.
  • Budrys wants more NATO members to join the 5% defense-spending club.
  • NATO's Baltic Century operation appeared to stop Baltic Sea infrastructure disruptions.
Ideas
Kęstutis Budrys Lithuanian Foreign Minister 0:45
Build non-China critical minerals supply chains
China's critical-minerals export controls and economic coercion are forcing Western economies to build alternative supply chains. Lithuania supports the U.S.-led critical minerals initiative and wants to be part of supply chains that respect rules-based trade, creating opportunities in non-China critical minerals processing and sourcing.
REMX MED
Kęstutis Budrys Lithuanian Foreign Minister 1:14
Lithuania as critical minerals hub
Lithuania has a differentiated role in non-China critical mineral supply chains because it can host processing, recycling, stockpiling and logistics, and it is pursuing bilateral cooperation with the U.S. and EU to implement these opportunities. This makes Lithuania a strategic beneficiary of supply-chain diversification.
Lithuania MED
Kęstutis Budrys Lithuanian Foreign Minister 2:51
Drone incursions require more air defense
NATO and European countries must materially increase defense spending and readiness to deter Russia; Lithuania is already spending 5.4% of GDP on hard security plus an additional 1.5%, nearly 7%, and wants other allies to join the 5% club. This creates a sustained policy tailwind for defense sector investment.
ITA HIGH
Up Next
5:55
Kloza on Diesel Prices Hit Fresh Record-High
Bloomberg Markets · Sep 18
8:34
Mid-Cycle Transition Stock Investors Shouldn't Overlook
Morgan Stanley · Sep 18
8:03
FRB, Football, and the Price of Uncertainty
Morgan Stanley · Sep 18
1:33:13
Hugging Face Co-Founder on Open-Source, Microduck, and NVIDIA | E2339
This Week in Startups · Sep 18
5:20
Trump Bans CNN, MS NOW, Politico From White House
Bloomberg Markets · Sep 18

This Bloomberg Markets video, published September 18, 2026, features Kęstutis Budrys discussing REMX, Lithuania, ITA. 3 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Kęstutis Budrys  · Tickers: REMX, Lithuania, ITA