Lithuania has received €956.3 million in its first payment from the EU’s Security Action for Europe (SAFE) defence financing instrument.
The payment represents 15% of Lithuania’s total allocation of €6.4 billion under SAFE, the European Commission announced on Thursday.
SAFE is a €150 billion EU instrument that provides loans to member states, primarily for joint procurement of ammunition, missiles, air defence and ground combat systems produced within the EU.
SAFE is part of the European Commission’s ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 plan, which aims to unlock more than €800 billion in defence investment across the EU.
Andrius Kubilius, the Commissioner for Defence and Space, said: “This initial SAFE payment marks a milestone in our ongoing commitment to Lithuanian, European and Eastern Flank security.”
How SAFE is funded and what comes next
The pre-financing payment was made after “all required procedural steps” were completed, the Commission said.
Further payments are expected to follow once agreed milestones are met.
SAFE is financed through EU borrowing on financial markets, enabling “long-duration loans” to member states that request them, with loan terms benefiting from the EU’s credit rating. The loans will be repaid by the beneficiary member states.
