Blinken Visits Lithuania
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Lithuania on March 6 as part of a visit to Belgium, Poland, Moldova, and the Baltic states in the wake of Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine.
“His visit here underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to NATO’s Article 5, and that we stand united with Lithuania in facing the many geopolitical challenges of our day, including Russia’s unjustifiable war against Ukraine and Belarus’ complicity in that war,” the US Embassy in Lithuania said on Facebook.
Secretary Blinken met with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, and Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis. They discussed “how the United States and Lithuania, along with the rest of our European partners and NATO allies, will support Ukraine and the brave Ukrainian people, strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense, especially on its Eastern flank, promote democracy and human rights, and pursue deeper economic and energy cooperation with Lithuanian and our other Baltic Allies“.
Blinken’s trip “continues extensive consultations and coordination with our NATO Allies and European partners about the Russian Federation’s continued premeditated, unprovoked, and unjustified war against Ukraine“, the US Department of State said in a press release. In the wake of the war launched by Russia against Ukraine, NATO has activated its defence plans for the protection of the eastern flank and pledged to reinforce its military presence in Eastern Europe.
In Lithuania, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States will deploy additional 400 troops to Lithuania. “Additional 400 personnel from the First Armored Brigade Combat Team will be arriving in Lithuania in the days to come,” he said during a news conference with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis on March 7. With this additional deployment, the contingent of US troops in Lithuania will increase to approximately 1,000. A US battalion of approximately 500 troops is currently stationed at the military training area in Pabradė, in the district of Švenčionys north of Vilnius. “The United States has a commitment to NATO’s Article 5,” Blinken said. “That commitment is sacred. … No one should doubt our readiness, no one should doubt our resolve,” he added.
Blinken said that the US administration was currently reviewing the presence of US troops around the world, including permanent deployments.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has heightened fears of a potential attack against other countries within the region, including NATO members. Officials say, however, that they have no evidence at present that Russia has plans to take that step. Additional troops have already been sent to Lithuania by Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and other countries. US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said that more American troops would be sent to Lithuania, without specifying the number. According to the general, the troops will be taken from a US brigade of approximately 3,500 troops stationed on NATO’s eastern flank. Additional troops will be deployed as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. The US military brigade arrived in Germany where it would receive the necessary weapons, then will be sent to various countries, including Lithuania. Milley also confirmed that the US was considering a permanent deployment of troops in Lithuania.
General John S. Kolasheski, commander of the US Army V Corps, stated that decisions had been made to deploy air and missile defence radars, short-range air defence systems and self-propelled artillery installations in Lithuania. They would be intended to the reinforced US armoured battalion of approximately 500 troops stationed in Pabradė. The United States also has F-35 fighter jets stationed at an air base in Šiauliai, northern Lithuania, as well as troops from US Special Operations Forces serving in the country. With NATO allies deploying more forces to Lithuania amid Russia’s threat, the government last week allocated 40 million euros for new camps designated for additional forces.
Chief of Defence of Lithuania Valdemaras Rupšys said that such camps, each with a capacity of approximately 800 troops, would be set up in Marijampolė, Kazlų Rūda and Pabradė.
He described the United States as “our closest and strongest ally”. The American leadership “assures us that we are not alone, that we can deter and, in the worst case, defend our country,” Rupšys said. LRT.lt
