ATHENS 

Lithuania on Thursday said it supports involving non-EU allies in the bloc’s defense procurement scheme.

“My country is in favor of inviting our like-minded countries, third countries, and non-European Union member countries into the procurement schemes of defense equipment,” President Gitanas Nauseda told the press after arrival to the meeting of the European Council in Brussels.

“And I think this is very important to keep this transatlantic bond through this critical period of the different challenges,” he added.

The European Council recently adopted a regulation setting up the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) instrument.

SAFE is the first pillar of the European Commission's ReArm Europe plan, which creates the conditions for a massive defense investment surge in Europe.