Lithuania cannot expect US troops while refusing to join their missions, says Nausėda

Lithuania cannot expect a permanent US military presence while declining to participate in international missions led by Washington, President Gitanas Nausėda warned on Thursday, calling such an approach “dishonest” and a risk to transatlantic partnerships.

Speaking to journalists in Brussels, Nausėda said Lithuania must align its security expectations with its contributions. “We cannot say with one hand that the presence of US troops in Lithuania is a given and we simply accept it as a duty, but when asked to contribute to international missions, we say it is not our concern,” he stated.

“This is not a very honest position, and it could lead to a situation where the presence of US troops in Lithuania is no longer taken for granted. We certainly do not want that,” the president added.

His remarks follow earlier reports that European allies and other partners had rejected US President Donald Trump’s requests for support in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical Persian Gulf shipping lane effectively blockaded by Iran in response to US and Israeli strikes. Washington and Tel Aviv claim their actions aim to halt Iran’s nuclear program, though US intelligence recently confirmed Tehran has not resumed such activities.

Trump had criticized NATO for what he called a “very stupid mistake” in refusing to deploy to the Strait of Hormuz, while Alliance chief Mark Rutte noted members were discussing the “best way” to reopen the route, through which a significant share of global oil shipments passes.

Nausėda acknowledged that some European states’ harsh rhetoric may reflect frustration over the US failing to coordinate its actions against Iran in advance. “But once this conflict, this war, has begun, we must all stand together. We cannot say this is not our concern,” he insisted.

“It is our concern, because we must always understand that the US is involved in our own security—not just by supplying technology and weapons or stationing troops in Europe, but by comprehensively fighting for a stronger NATO,” the president underscored.