Abukevicius, who met with Colin Kahl, Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy at the Department of Defense, in Washington, DC on Thursday, stressed that the defense of NATO's eastern region relies on a "permanent and significant" US and NATO presence, the Defense Ministry said in a press release on Friday.
"Russia's invasion of Ukraine is fundamentally changing the security situation in Europe," it quoted the vice-minister as saying.
"Therefore, long-term decisions on a strong forward defense in our region and realistic defense plans are needed. We hope that decisions in Madrid will reflect the new reality," he said.
At his meetings in Washington, Abukevicius also underlined the US presence as an additional guarantee of Lithuania's security, saying that Lithuania is ready to provide full support as the host country, according to the press release,
As part of his visit, the vice-minister has also met with Doug Jones, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Department of State, and David Fabrycky, Director for NATO and European Affairs at the White House National Security Council.
NATO and the US are reinforcing their military presence on the eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
In Lithuania, the US is planning to deploy 400 more troops and short-range air defense and self-propelled artillery systems. The US also has F-35 fighter jets stationed at Lithuania's Siauliai air base, and Special Operations Forces present in the country.
US troops are now stationed in Lithuania on a rotational basis and Vilnius is seeking a permanent American presence and asking NATO and the US to ensure effective air defense in the region.