It is common knowledge that Russia is rebuilding its capabilities and preparing for a possible confrontation with NATO, Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart, Commander of NATO Multinational Corps Northeast, says in an interview with LRT.lt.
In your assessment, what is the current security situation in the region?
My assessment of the current security situation in this region is as follows. Firstly, it’s obvious that the most likely enemy is Russia. The threat that is posed to the region mainly relates to Russia.
Secondly, NATO acts as a defensive alliance and does not pose a threat to Russia, but NATO will react in case the threat of Russia leads to an offensive operation, a kind of incursion, or a violation of our integrity.
Thirdly, I think this region has very well developed in response to the sensitive situation of the increased tensions related to the fact that the Baltic Sea region, which I consider covering mainly Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, has the longest borderline to the Russian influence area. [...]
We have very well developed in a way that we have achieved the status of an integrated collective defence. The host nations themselves invest a lot in their defence, they integrate their home defence plans into NATO defence plans. The troop-contributing nations, such as the US, Canada, Germany, England, and others, have invested and committed significantly as well.
What do you think about Lithuania’s defence capabilities and is the Suwalki Gap still “the most dangerous place on earth”?
I don’t know whether it’s the most dangerous place on earth. I think that is a bit exaggerated terminology, but it’s a path to Central Europe, and the region we’re talking about is the most sensitive ground.
If you look at it from the perspective of Moscow, then of course, Suwalki is the obstacle to connecting Kaliningrad to mainland Russia. From that, I derive that this is key terrain, and we need to make sure that the Suwalki Gap is always kept open and allows the freedom of movement and the integrity in that region is not hampered.
How is Lithuania responding to that? I have a lot of confidence in the capacity of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. I’m very impressed by the dedication and by the Lithuanian leadership, namely your Chief of Defence General [Valdemaras] Rupšys, who for me, is a kind of spiritus rector for an integrated collective NATO approach to our defence. [...]
You have mentioned the help of Germany and other countries. The German brigade will soon be stationed in Lithuania. Do you think our country is prepared to host the brigade and help it feel at home?
First of all, I can tell you that I feel at home [in Lithuania]. I think it is my 20th or 30th visit to Vilnius. I consider Vilnius to be one of my hometowns and that also applies to my family. Why am I saying that? Lithuanian people can be convinced that we fully understand that the freedom of Germany, the freedom of our kids, is dependent on the integrity of Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland.
Of course, I very much welcome the fact that Germany has decided, that our minister has decided to engage significantly with German Armed Forces in Lithuania and in the Baltic Sea region. I think it will be very easy to feel at home here because there is no big difference between living in Lithuania and living in Northern Germany.
But it needs to be a meaningful commitment. What do I mean by that? A meaningful commitment means that our soldiers, our people at home, understand that the investment to deploy forces abroad is relevant to their own security. That is why it is so important that we have a clear understanding of what integrated collective defence means. [...]
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said in an interview last week that Russia is mobilising its resources against NATO. Would you agree with such an assessment?
What he mentioned is not a surprise, and this is common knowledge. This is the common understanding because it was announced by Russia that it will rebuild its capacities and capabilities on the other side of the borderline that we share.
Currently, Russia is significantly committed to its unlawful war against Ukraine, but it has already started and will further continue to reconstitute its capabilities separate from the war in Ukraine and that imposes an increased threat to the Baltic Sea region.
In that regard, [Landsbergis] is right. But we need to be very careful what conclusions we derive from that. I think the conclusions that were translated into actions regarding procurement and enhancing the capabilities of the Lithuanian Armed Forces are very wise and pointing in the right direction.
To believe that we can defend against Russia only with the procurement of drones and air defence is wrong. It is still the combined arms of land, maritime, air, cyber, and soft capabilities [...] that will determine the battlefield.
Having said that, I don’t exclude and neglect the fact that new modern capacities will populate the battlefield, like drones, for example, but that will not replace the capacities that determine military art in its fundamental factors. The trick and the demand that comes with this new development is how you combine them and how you protect best against the capacities of the enemy.
What do you think needs to be done to improve the security situation in the region in general?
First, we should continue on the path we have taken already. I think time is of the essence, so our defence preparations, our readiness need to be quicker than the reconstitution of Russia. Only if Moscow sees our readiness as sufficient will we prevent Russia from seizing the opportunity, creating an effective deterrent. And only a credible deterrent prevents us from having to go to war.
Long story short, our readiness capacity, our readiness status, prevent war. If we are not united in the effort, if we are not united in our readiness, we increase the risk of getting a war imposed on us because Russia might see an opportunity it could exploit successfully. But I am very confident that this will not happen.
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