Lithuania calls for shift from political to military solidarity in Baltics amid drone threats

Lithuania’s foreign minister has urged NATO to transition from political solidarity to military reinforcement in the Baltic region, calling for expanded air defence capabilities following repeated drone incidents, LRT reports.

Speaking from Stockholm during a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, Kęstutis Budrys emphasised the need to move “from political solidarity to military solidarity” and deploy additional defensive assets in Eastern member states. He cited ongoing operations like Eastern Sentry and Baltic Sentry, as well as a stalled rotational air defence model, as frameworks requiring expansion.

“We must have not only ground-based systems but also aerial platforms,” Budrys stated, stressing the shift from Baltic air policing to full air defence, bolstered by counter-drone measures. He urged allies to station capabilities in the Baltics, calling the region “the most intense area of activity.”

The appeal follows a series of drone violations in Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian airspace this week. On Wednesday, Lithuania’s military searched for an unidentified object that disappeared from radar after breaching restricted airspace—the second such alert in two days. Estonia also downed a drone this week, while Latvia reported similar incursions.

Budrys welcomed NATO and EU leaders’ rapid political backing for the Baltics, particularly in rejecting Russian claims that the region enables Ukrainian strikes on Russian targets. “From the very first days, we saw NATO and EU leadership respond with political solidarity,” he noted, while urging the EU to prioritise eastern border defence in its upcoming budget negotiations.

The minister also called for accelerated EU-level coordination, including dedicated officials to address regional security challenges. His comments came ahead of July’s NATO summit in Ankara, where defence funding and Ukraine support will be key agenda items.