With the joint Russian-Belarusian military exercise Zapad (West) set to take place this autumn, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys says NATO is prepared to respond if necessary.
“Certain actions are being planned, depending on what we observe on the other side, how many Russian and Belarusian forces are activated during the drills, and this will definitely not go unnoticed,” Budrys told reporters in Brussels, where he is attending a meeting of NATO foreign ministers.
Lithuania’s foreign minister did not elaborate on NATO’s plans but said the alliance would respond depending on how the drills unfold and the scale and type of forces deployed by Russia and Belarus.
“At this point, I really don’t want to go into details about how we’ll respond, but this is not just another routine event – all such efforts are taken seriously,” the minister said.
“[Depending on] what types of forces are involved, the scale and the geographic location, NATO will shape its presence or response accordingly,” he added.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces say they see no additional military threats to Lithuania during this year’s Zapad drills.
The military says it relies on NATO intelligence and believes that, as in previous years, the main threat will come from the heightened risk of unintended incidents.
In late February, President Gitanas Nausėda said that Zapad should not be a cause for additional concern, as Lithuania and its allies are also conducting training and preparing for potential threats.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
