Amid fears of the United States pulling out of its commitments in Europe, Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says he sees no threat to the Baltic states’ transatlantic cooperation.
“I urge everyone not to lose hope, despite the fact that we hear various rather dramatic or heated statements in politics,” Paluckas told reporters in Tallinn during his visit to Estonia. “In practice, as we can see today, whether we are talking about NATO structures or bilateral relations, we do not see any signs of deterioration in our relations.”
“On the contrary, the efforts of our region to secure funding [...] are certainly appreciated and therefore I can say that I do not see any threat to our transatlantic cooperation,” he stressed.
American troops have been rotating in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe since spring 2014 as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in the eastern part of NATO.
US heavy battalions have been rotating in Lithuania since 2019.
Lithuanian politicians have repeatedly said they want a permanent American presence in the country. President Gitanas Nauseda said last week that Lithuania is ready to receive more US troops, adding, however, that this will depend on the political decision of the Americans.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
