If Belarus deploys forces to the border with Lithuania, Vilnius will not respond to the escalation, Lithuanian Defence Minister Raimundas Karoblis said on Friday.
“Even if the Belarusian forces move closer [to Lithuania], we are planning no actions which would be unplanned [like] deploying additional forces,” Karoblis told LRT RADIO.
Alexander Lukashenko claimed on Thursday that Belarus would shut borders with Lithuania and Poland and “have half our army on guard”.
Read more: Belarus to close border with Lithuania and Poland
According to Karoblis, “our position has always been that we must remain calm and not give in to Lukashenko’s provocations”.
“If the military is deployed next to [Lithuanian] border following Lukashenko’s decisions, the situation will be different,” added Karoblis. “But I don’t see any reason to change our position even if it happens.”
Lukashenko previously claimed that NATO was “stirring” in Lithuania and Poland, and Minsk officials have accused Vilnius of stoking tensions by hosting an armoured US battalion.
United States Ambassador to Lithuania Robert Gilchrist told LRT English in a written comment that the embassy was “in constant contact with our Lithuanian counterparts regarding our ongoing partnership in security and defence”.
“Our commitment to NATO and [collective defence] Article 5 remains ironclad, and we thank Lithuania for being welcoming hosts for US troops deployed here,” he said.
According to Reuters news agency, the battalion that deployed to Lithuania on September 4 arrived earlier than planned and will stay for longer than the government had initially indicated.
Read more: Moscow to react to NATO drills in Lithuania, says Kremlin
Whether Lukashenko’s statements come in reaction to US military presence in Lithuania, Gilchrist said “you would have to ask President Lukashenko”.
“These exercises are defensive in nature, they are planned and announced well in advance, and they are not in response to any political or world events,” he added.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Raimundas Karoblis said the country had informed their Belarusian counterparts via “working channels” about the planned military drills in the country. “Transparency from our side has been maintained,” he added.
Read more: US troops arrive in Lithuania amid tensions with Belarus
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