US pressure on Denmark to cede Denmark has put NATO allies in a difficult position. Lithuanian lawmakers and officials emphasise that both countries are key partners: Denmark, a neighbour and early supporter of Lithuania’s independence, and the United States, a long-standing security guarantor with troops stationed in the country.
“Lithuania must act carefully, thoughtfully, and avoid rushing to take one side or the other,” Foreign Affairs Committee member, conservative MP Audronius Ažubalis said. “We need to observe the situation and act according to what it dictates, not speak prematurely on behalf of one party.”
Committee members stressed that dialogue is the best path forward. Social Democratic MP Ruslanas Baranovas said Europe must work together with the US to resolve the Greenland question.
“Diplomacy is the only way,” Baranovas said. “Because Europe is neither capable nor probably willing to defend Denmark military, if it comes to that.”
MP Giedrimas Jeglinskas, of the Democrats “For Lithuania” party, argued that bad communication between Europe and the United States have already complicated matters. He cited the symbolic deployment of European troops to Greenland as an attempt to show solidarity that may have been misinterpreted as an attempt to deter Washington.
President Donald Trump then threatened to impose tariffs on the eight countries that sent troops to Greenland.
“The situation is becoming a bargaining matter rather than an absolute demand to control Greenland,” Jeglinskas believes. “We should start talking and explore what we can do together.”
Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, meanwhile, said Lithuania stands in solidarity with Denmark and supports its territorial integrity. He emphasised that NATO allies should jointly ensure security in the Arctic and that Lithuania is ready to contribute.
President Gitanas Nausėda shared a declaration from eight European NATO members on X, stating that Arctic security is a shared NATO interest, that solutions must be found through dialogue, and that new US tariffs undermine the alliance.
Lithuanian officials say the country will continue navigating the issue carefully, aiming to preserve strong ties with both Denmark and the United States while supporting allied cooperation in the Arctic. Therefore, straightforward statements from Lithuanian leaders – like the ones they make regularly regarding Russia – are not forthcoming.
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