The European Investment Bank (EIB) plans to lend 540 million euros for the construction of the Rūdninkai military base in eastern Lithuania, which will host a German military brigade, the finance ministry and the bank announced on Friday.
The EIB Board of Directors approved the loan at a meeting in Luxembourg on Thursday.
According to the bank, the endorsement paves the way for legal and financial negotiations over the loan that are expected to be completed in the coming months.
According to EIB Group President Nadia Calvino, the loan is “a landmark step in how we support Europe’s security”.
The approved EIB loan will be available to private sector partners to be selected by the Lithuanian defence ministry to implement the project.
“This investment marks a historic milestone for Lithuania’s national security and NATO’s collective defence,” Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said in a press release.
The Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) is also considering financing the Rūdninkai military base project.
Lithuania is building the base in the eastern district of Šalčininkai as part of its plan to host the German brigade.
The project is being carried out in phases: the first phase is already underway through a construction contract with Eikos Statyba, while the second phase is expected to be implemented through a public-private partnership (PPP).
The base will accommodate up to 4,000 military and civilian personnel, and will include the infrastructure to support the planned German brigade.
The construction is scheduled to start in 2026 and the base is expected to be operational by early 2028.
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