The Washington Post: Attitudes towards Russia are changing – can Lithuania not receive the help discussed?
German paratroopers dance one after another from the plane and leave for a few minutes in the territory of Lithuania. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the number of NATO troops from the Western Allies increased, but Lithuania would like to defend it even more, the LNK reports.
Our goal is to have at least a brigade in our country of three to five capable soldiers, in addition to logistical units. However, one of the most serious US dailies, The Washington Post, writes that Lithuania and other Baltic countries may not have their own brigades.
For some NATO nations, Russia’s stalemate in Ukraine no longer seems to pose the same threat as before.
“It simply came to our notice then. I think that before the Madrid summit we will have one or another image of what the final document will be, ”said the Minister of National Defense Arvydas Anušauskas.
However, there are such signals that the Baltic countries are not waiting for a possible number of allied troops to deter Russia.
“There are other signals that if Russia is weakened, those forces are not needed. It is also a question of resources, as the countries allocate much-needed resources, ”A. Anušauskas continued.
The article by US journalists makes no secret of the doubts expressed by France and Italy about the need for brigades in the Baltics. Lithuanian experts are not surprised.
Full LNK report – in the video:
“It seems that some of our Western European partners are once again trying to climb on the same rake, and I am concerned about their concerns about Russia, the aggressor, and not about the security of the allies,” said Giedrius Česnakas, a professor at the Lithuanian Military Academy.
“If one or another ceasefire is reached and military action is completed, then the agreement may be even more complicated,” said political scientist Ramūnas Vilpišauskas.
Doubting whether to send thousands of troops to the arguments of the Baltic NATO countries – that Russia was very bloody during the war with Ukraine, does not know how to fight and is just a paper tiger.
As long as the authoritarian regime, whether Putin continues to lead it or something else, Russia will pose a serious risk to its neighbors.
“Indeed, if Russia continues to be at war, the recovery will take time,” said Deividas Šlekys, associate professor at VU TSPMI.
However, Lithuanian experts are convinced that such arguments of European countries that Russia does not know how to fight are dangerous.
“Even after the end of the war, Russia will have the resources to upgrade its armaments, they have an advantage in terms of the number of people and their army,” Garlic said.
“As long as there is an authoritarian regime, whether it is still ruled by Putin or something else, Russia will pose serious risks to its neighbors,” Vilpišauskas said.
However, the wars point out that our Western allies may not be able to send as many national experts as the Baltics would like.
“They cannot, because everyone in Europe has been on disarmament leave. Now suddenly resources are needed, their quantity is limited, then division takes place. We want to give it to us, but the question is, as much as we want, because Lithuania is not the center of the world. NATO partners are truly committed to defending us. They are ready to deploy more troops than six months ago, “said D. Šlekys.
Experts repeat – deterrence is much cheaper than repelling.
How many troops Lithuania and other Baltic countries will receive will be announced in June, after the NATO summit in Madrid.