T. Valys in Brussels: "Military mobility funding is one of key priorities of the next long-term EU budget"
"Lithuania strongly supports the European Commission’s proposal to strengthen the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and holds the view that funding allocated for transport and military mobility should not be reduced; even on the contrary, this should be given special attention in the next Multiannual Financial Framework," Minister of Finance Taurimas Valys emphasized at the conference "Connecting Europe Days" in Brussels.
During the panel discussion Mobilizing Investment in European Transport Infrastructure: Building the Foundations for Competitiveness and Military Mobility", Minister of Finance Taurimas Valys together with European Investment Bank (EIB) Vice-President Robert de Groot, Member of the European Parliament Siegfried Mureșan, and Matthieu Muzumdar, Deputy Director General of Meridiam, an international infrastructure investment company discussed European Union investment needs regarding transport connectivity, military mobility, and dual-use infrastructure and how the future EU Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) could facilitate the implementation of strategic transport and security projects. The discussion focused on finding solutions to attract additional funding and accelerate investment in infrastructure projects of critical importance to Europe.
"The development of the European transport network is no longer solely a matter of connectivity and economic growth. Today, transport infrastructure is also linked to resilience, security, and defense. Therefore, in the context of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), it is important to adapt our investment framework to the fundamentally changed geopolitical reality. The war on Europe's borders has fundamentally altered our approach to transport investment," Taurimas Valys said during the discussion.
In the Minister's view, security must become a cross-cutting priority in transport policy. Railways, ports, roads, airports, and digital transport infrastructure should be designed not only for economic efficiency but also to ensure resilience and military mobility. "For instance, today a bridge must be capable of accommodating not only commercial traffic but also military equipment, should the need arise," T. Valys illustrated.
The Minister named Rail Baltica as one example. According to the Minister, this project strengthens economic integration, improves military mobility, increases the resilience of supply chains and ultimately completes the physical integration of the Baltic States into the European railway network.
The Minister stressed that Europe should not fear increased investment in cross-border transport infrastructure with the highest European added value. For Rail Baltica, CEF funds should remain the main source of EU support. “Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have jointly committed to securing at least EUR 10 billion of targeted funding for the Rail Baltica project under the next MFF, in particular through the CEF. At the same time, other possible alternative financing mechanisms at EU level should be explored," the Minister of Finance stressed.
Speaking about the needs of the EU's eastern border states, T. Valys highlighted the challenge of geopolitical risks. “With regard to the EU’s eastern border regions, financing conditions should also reflect higher geopolitical risks and investment needs. Therefore, Lithuania proposes to increase the share of EU co-financing for projects in Member States bordering the EU's eastern border by 10 percentage points," the Minister of Finance stated.
"The benefits of dual-use infrastructure go beyond the borders of the Member State where the infrastructure is physically located. Therefore, projects along military mobility corridors should be primarily funded through reinforced, dedicated EU-level instruments, such as the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)," T. Valys said adding that the EU must ensure that the next CEF programme has a dedicated budget for military mobility projects.
Last updated: 01-10-2026