On March 5, President Gitanas Nausėda, together with President Andrzej Duda, observed the Polish national military exercise Dragon-24, a key element of this year’s largest NATO exercise, Steadfast Defender-24 and the largest NATO exercise in Europe since the Cold War. Together with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda, the President observed a joint operation of allied forces crossing the Vistula River.
“Lithuania and Poland perceive security threats along the same lines. We will continue to work together to strengthen the security of our countries and NATO’s entire eastern flank,” the President stated in Poland. He emphasized that Russia will remain the primary long-term military threat to the Alliance, which is why close and solidarity-based cooperation with Poland in security and defense is a strategically important priority for Lithuania.
Gitanas Nausėda noted that Poland is directly involved in strengthening security in the Baltic region, actively participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission and taking part in joint military exercises. The interoperability plans for the Lithuanian and Polish armed forces are a starting point and an important means to further reinforce joint deterrence and defense in the region.
The President stressed that urgent military assistance to Ukraine must remain a top priority. “We know what Ukraine needs: ammunition, air defense capabilities, and increased production volumes in all arms categories. Together with our allies, we must send a unified message of strong commitment to continue supporting Ukraine with all means until its victory,” the President said.
Polish President Andrzej Duda said Poland is ready to defend all NATO territory, including Lithuania. “If necessary, Polish troops will stand shoulder to shoulder with Lithuanian troops to defend every inch of the NATO territory against hostile attack,” Duda said, assuring President Nauseda that are no legal restrictions preventing Polish troops from defending Lithuania if necessary, despite misgivings expressed by Lithuanian PM Ingrida Šimonytė last week.
Meanwhile, Lithuania’s Chief of Defence General Valdemaras Rupšys, who also observed the Dragon 2024 exercise in Poland, stressed that NATO plans foresee the use of Polish troops in Lithuania’s defence. In his words, Poland, like other NATO countries, is guided by all the articles of the North Atlantic Treaty, including Article 5.
“There is no doubt that we will stand together anywhere, if necessary,” Rupšys said.
