Lithuania hopes US will build-up its military presence in the Baltic

A summit meeting of the Baltic countries and the United States’ presidents took place in Washington on April 3. Before the meeting, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė announced that Vilnius hopes for the US military presence to increase in the region as a factor of deterrence.

Besides, the parties discussed possibilities to reinforce the air defense in the Baltics. US President Donald Trump and presidents of the Baltic countries – Dalia Grybauskaitė, Lithuania, Raimonds Vejonis, Latvia, and Kersti Kaljulaid, Estonia, were present at the meeting. As the Lithuanian president stressed, the leaders of the countries are meeting for the first time in such a format.

The parties adopted a joint declaration on results of the summit once again stressing that the countries are committed to the collective defense principles and assistance to each other. According to Grybauskaitė, the declaration shows importance of the strategic partnership and cooperation between the four countries, partners in the NATO, for guaranteeing international stability.

As she said, for the Baltic countries the declaration will be a means of deterrence and a guarantee that in a complicate situation they can hope for direct US assistance not only for NATO.

To remind, statement on “Russia’s threat” are often heard from Western politicians, including those from the Baltic countries and Poland, while NATO is constantly reinforcing its military presence near Russia’s borders. Moscow reiterates that Russia is not going to attack anyone.