NATO’s plans to strengthen its estern flank, which will be revealed at the NATO summit in June, are optimistic, Lithuania’s Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys has said.
At a meeting in Brussels, NATO defence chiefs are discussing Russia’s war in Ukraine and preparations for next month’s NATO summit.
Lithuania is pushing for a significant strengthening of the alliance’s eastern flank, including the Baltic states. Plans are currently being finalised by the NATO leadership.
“I can clearly say that those defence plans, the forces that will be allocated to implement those plans, are certainly very optimistic, and I think NATO will be stronger with them,” Rupšys told LRT.lt.
The defence chief said he could not specify what kind of reinforcements Lithuania and the Baltic region could expect, but it would significantly reduce the reaction time to any potential attack.
“Maybe we shouldn’t talk about the number of troops. First of all, it should be about capabilities and effects, ie what kind of effects in terms of deterrence and defence do we want to have both in NATO and individually in the regions,” Rupšys said.
“The main objective for NATO and national leaders is to do everything we can to respond to a threat in a timely manner, with the right forces, and in the right place,” he added.
According to Lithuania’s defence chief, the capabilities deployed in the Baltics will be part of the overall defence plan and will make a significant contribution to enhancing security in the region.
“They will be intended for an initial phase [of attack] both to deter and to defend our region. [...] The governance element will have to be ready promptly so that these forces can be deployed immediately,” he said.
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