Lithuania calls Zelenskyy’s remarks about potential Russian attack 'intimidating rhetoric'
Illustrative photo: Russian military personnel (Getty Images)
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has said that there is no basis for alarmist assessments of a possible threat from Russia, according to Delfi.lt.
Reaction to Zelenskyy’s statements
Following comments by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about potential risks to the Baltic states from Russia, Estonia and Lithuania responded at the political leadership level.
Some Estonian politicians described such assessments as excessive and potentially harmful to dialogue between allies.
Lithuania’s security stance
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė, commenting to journalists on Wednesday, said there is currently no basis for intimidating rhetoric.
According to her, if there were real indications of a threat, the approach to public assessments would be different.
The head of government stressed that Lithuania is actively investing in defence and is a NATO member, which provides an additional layer of security for the country and the region.
Preparedness for potential risks
At the same time, Ruginienė stressed that Lithuania takes into account its geographical proximity to potential areas of tension, including its border with Belarus, where various hybrid influences and provocations are periodically recorded.
According to her, this is why continuous improvement of defence planning and adaptation of strategies to current challenges is of particular importance.
Context of Zelenskyy’s statements
Earlier, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that restrictions on internet use in Russia may be linked not only to internal policy but also to preparations for possible large-scale military scenarios.
He mentioned Ukraine and the Baltic states among the potential directions of concern.
The Ukrainian president also raised the question of a possible NATO response in the event of a hypothetical escalation in the region.
Lithuania has recently seen an increase in activity by pro-Russian actors whose actions pose a threat to the country’s defence capabilities.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said Lithuania and Latvia refused to allow his aircraft to fly through their airspace on the way to Moscow for the May 9 parade.
