EIB Group Boosts Lithuania Financing to €577 Million with Defence, Energy and Infrastructure Investment at the Forefront

EIB Group Boosts Lithuania Financing to €577 Million with Defence, Energy and Infrastructure Investment at the Forefront

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank Group increased its financing in Lithuania by 29% in 2025 to €577 million, placing security and defence investments at the centre of its support while also advancing renewable energy, water infrastructure, and business financing. The funding helped mobilise €1.4 billion in total investment, supported around 1,500 SMEs and mid-cap firms, and sustained more than 17,000 jobs across the country. Key projects included a €300 million loan for military upgrades, €100 million for the Kelmė onshore wind farm developed by Ignitis Group, and €50 million for water infrastructure improvements in the Vilnius region. Looking ahead, defence investment will remain a priority, with plans for a €540 million loan to support construction of a new military base in Rūdninkai, alongside expanded EIF-backed initiatives to improve SME access to finance nationwide.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 30-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank Group significantly expanded its financial support to Lithuania in 2025, increasing total financing by 29% year on year to €577 million, with security and defence investments emerging as a central priority. The stepped-up funding also supported renewable energy development, water infrastructure upgrades, and improved access to finance for businesses across the country, reinforcing Lithuania’s resilience and long-term economic growth.

EIB Group activity in Lithuania during the year represented approximately 0.7% of national gross domestic product and helped mobilise €1.4 billion in overall investment, equivalent to 1.7% of GDP. The financing supported around 1,500 small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-cap companies, sustaining more than 17,000 jobs nationwide. Of the total funding, €452 million was provided by the EIB, while €126 million came from the European Investment Fund, which focuses on improving access to finance for SMEs.

Security and defence featured prominently among supported projects. A €300 million loan was extended to the Lithuanian government to fund military investments, including harbour vessels, medical equipment, and training infrastructure. In the energy sector, the EIB provided a €100 million loan to Ignitis Group for development of the Kelmė onshore wind farm, the largest of its kind in the Baltic region, with capacity to supply electricity to around 250,000 households. Additional infrastructure support included a €50 million loan to Vilniaus vandenys to modernise water and wastewater systems in the capital region.

Defence investment is expected to remain a focal point of EIB Group engagement in Lithuania. The Bank is preparing to lend €540 million to support construction of a new military base in Rūdninkai, near the Belarusian border. The project is designed to strengthen operational readiness, logistics capabilities, and interoperability within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization framework. Alongside financing, the EIB is advising the Lithuanian government on structuring the project through public-private partnership agreements to ensure alignment with market standards.

Complementing these efforts, the EIF expanded SME financing initiatives across Lithuania in 2025. Measures included the rollout of a new green lending guarantee with RATO Credit Union, backing for the Sound Senior Private Debt Fund under a programme led by Lithuanian development bank ILTE, and increased guarantees for Mano Bankas, SME Finance, and Noviti. These actions enabled additional lending to SMEs and micro-enterprises, supporting entrepreneurship and regional economic development.

Background information  

About EIB Group

The European Investment Bank (ElB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union, owned by its Member States. The EIB Group also includes the European Investment Fund (EIF), boosting Europe’s competitiveness and security. Built around eight core priorities, the EIB finances investments that contribute to EU policy objectives by bolstering climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, the capital markets union and a stronger Europe in a more peaceful and prosperous world.

High-quality, up-to-date photos of the EIB Group’s headquarters for media use are available here.

Media contact:
Kristiina Randmaa
k.randmaa@ext.eib.org
+352 4379 – 72894

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank