Lithuania is expected to receive about 2.81 billion euros from the European Union in 2026 after EU lawmakers reached a political deal on the bloc’s budget for that year, the Finance Ministry said Monday.
Lithuania’s contribution to the EU budget is projected at 880 million euros.
The newly announced figures indicate a significant increase from 2025, when Lithuania is set to receive roughly 2.49 billion euros and contribute about 685.9 million euros.
Most of the 2026 funds are expected to come from EU Cohesion policy programs, totalling an estimated 1.47 billion euros. Another 820 million euros will come from the Common Agricultural Policy, and about 250 million euros from the Connecting Europe Facility, which finances strategic transport, energy and digital infrastructure links.
The budget also earmarks approximately 130 million euros for the continued decommissioning of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant.
Finance Minister Kristupas Vaitiekūnas said securing strong funding for Cohesion and agricultural programs was a priority for Lithuania during negotiations. He noted that maintaining financing for the Ignalina plant decommissioning and for cross-border infrastructure projects was equally important.
“In this year’s negotiations, it was important for Lithuania to secure not only sufficient allocations for Cohesion policy and agriculture, but also to ensure the necessary funding for decommissioning the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and for the Connecting Europe Facility,” Vaitiekūnas said in a statement.
He also welcomed increases in EU spending on border management and military mobility, calling the programs crucial for Lithuania, which shares the EU’s external border with Russia and Belarus, considered hostile neighbours.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
