“It is an exceptional delight today to be able to welcome U.S. Secretary of Defense to Lithuania. This visit is very timely and needed. Our position is that Russia presents a threat not just to Ukraine but to the entire region. Russia shows openly that the path it chooses is the path of force. It is a dangerous choice for the Baltic states, as our security relies on rules-based order,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis who met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, on a visit in Lithuania from February 18, as acting Minister of National Defence.
Pentagon chief and leadership of the Ministry of National Defence and the Armed Forces discussed the security situation, impaired by the Russian buildup of forces in Belarus and near Ukraine’s borders and strengthening deterrence in the Baltic states. G. Landsbergis said at the press conference held at the Ministry of National Defence after the meeting that “Russia’s attempts to rewrite the European security architecture will be met with a very firm and a very clear reply: the response to Russia will be sanctions, the response to Ukraine will be support, and the response that the Baltic states anticipate is even stronger support and additional defensive capabilities.”
Minister G. Landsbergis added that the West should leave a chair at the diplomacy table in case any country is willing to join in – if it remains empty, we need to make it clear that we are ready to defend and be defended.
Secretary Austin asserted during the visit that the United States would continue working closely with Lithuania to strengthen the security of the Baltic region and would take concerted actions to counter security threats and defend shared interests and values.
“Sending a clear message is exactly why I’m here today. I want everyone in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia to know—and I want the Kremlin to know—that the United States stands with our Allies. We take our obligations to NATO and to our allies seriously. Our commitment to Article 5 of the Washington Treaty is ironclad. In the face of Russia’s military buildup in Belarus and around Ukraine, we have sent additional U.S. forces eastward to reinforce NATO allies, and we have thousands on call, ready to deploy if NATO activates its response forces,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during the press conference following the meetings at the Ministry of National Defence.
Following the bilateral Lithuania-U.S. meeting, Secretary Austin met with the Baltic counterparts on a four-partite basis. U.S. Secretary of Defense, G. Landsbergis, Minister of Defence of Latvia Artis Pabriks and Minister of Defence of Estonia Kalle Laanet discussed principal aspects of provision of military assistance to Ukraine. Ahead of the meetings with defence leadership, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Ingrida Šimonytė.
The United States is Lithuania’s strategic partner and one of the key Allies for the security of the Baltic region, wherefore Lithuania aims for a continuous and persistent U.S. troop presence in the region in a range of forms. Currently a heavy-armor U.S. Battalion and its main battle Abrams tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles are deployed at Camp Herkus in Pabradė inaugurated just last year. The U.S. military personnel execute a continual readiness cycle, thus increasing interoperability of allied forces. The U.S. and Lithuanian Special Operations Forces enjoy a tight cooperation that dates back to 2005.
Aside from the personnel deployments, as they are engaged in the assurance measures in the Baltic states, the Americans also strengthen security and stability in the region and boost the Lithuanian defence with financial investment into Lithuania’s defensive capability and military infrastructure development. The United States is one of major partners in defence acquisitions as well: Lithuania has been procuring the Javelin anti-armor missile systems from the U.S. for many years and now has contracts with the U.S. Government for acquisition of 200 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) and four Black Hawk helicopters. The two countries’ cooperation on cybersecurity has also been gathering pace.
Photo credits: MoD/ A. Pliadis.
Video:
1) Overall visit report: www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjEBOh3wPvs
2) Press statements by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Minister of Foreign Affairs G. Landsbergis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgoQC7WsVOQ
