Nauseda said Russian provocations on NATO's eastern flank have increased — Bloomberg

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda stated that the Russian threat to NATO’s eastern flank is intensifying. According to him, Moscow is becoming “increasingly reckless,” and it must be stopped in Ukraine so that it does not have to be stopped elsewhere later on.

Nausėda noted that incursions by Russian drones, provocations, and acts of sabotage have become “commonplace” on the North Atlantic Alliance’s eastern flank. 

“Russia must be stopped in Ukraine, because otherwise it will have to be stopped elsewhere,” the Lithuanian president emphasized. 

Nausėda also stated that the presence of U.S. troops in Lithuania is aimed at deterring Russia, not at preparing for combat operations. He welcomed Washington’s decision to send a new rotation of troops to the country. Lithuanian authorities announced the new rotation of U.S. forces this week. Reuters

Separately, the president spoke about Lithuania’s plans to ramp up its own defense production. According to him, the country’s defense industry should grow three to four times faster than the economy as a whole.

Lithuania also aims to integrate into global defense supply chains and expand joint production with Ukrainian companies, particularly in the field of drones.

“We can produce on our own, produce for Ukraine’s needs, and consider this to be Lithuania’s military support for Ukraine,” Nausėda noted. 

Nausėda made these remarks during the Lithuanian-American Business Forum in Miami. The Lithuanian Embassy in the U.S. has also confirmed that the forum, scheduled for September 24, will be attended by the Lithuanian president.
 

Nausėda was responding to the first destruction of a drone in Lithuanian airspace.

Earlier, NATO fighter jets shot down a drone in Lithuanian airspace.

Prior to that, an airport in Lithuania was closed and a NATO fighter jet was scrambled due to a flock of birds.

Lithuania closed its airspace around the capital, Vilnius, following a report of a possible drone sighting. Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Center reported the possible appearance of a drone in the country’s airspace.