Lithuania focuses on personnel, not a ship, for Hormuz mission

Lithuania’s defence minister, Robertas Kaunas, has stated that the country is currently focusing on deploying its existing human resources rather than considering the dispatch of a military vessel to the Strait of Hormuz, as the Seimas prepares to make a final decision on sending troops and civilians to the region.

“Currently, there are no discussions about a ship. Our vessels already participate in NATO missions in the Baltic Sea. Our capabilities are what they are. We are focusing more on human resources—up to 40 troops. But these troops have unmanned control systems, underwater control systems, and anti-drone systems. All the equipment necessary to safely carry out the mission will be used,” Kaunas told journalists on Thursday.

He added that discussions are ongoing about the technical capabilities Lithuania could offer, noting that the country’s involvement in securing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz is a defensive mission. The goal is to ensure maritime safety and address both Lithuania’s and Europe’s energy security needs.

“We aim to participate in both the French-British coalition and the US coalition. We are trying to distribute our forces proportionally, but how, who, where, and why—that is a matter for the military leadership,” Kaunas said.

The Seimas is set to decide on a proposal to send Lithuanian troops to maritime security and freedom of navigation operations in the Strait of Hormuz. The draft resolution would establish a legal basis for deploying up to 40 Lithuanian military personnel and civilian defence system employees to participate in international operations ensuring maritime security and freedom of navigation in the region.

Last week, the Lithuanian presidency announced that President Gitanas Nausėda had received a response to a letter sent to US President Donald Trump, in which the White House expressed gratitude for Lithuania’s readiness to contribute to securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The State Defence Council had previously approved Lithuania’s participation in international efforts to ensure free navigation in the strait, though Nausėda had stated that Lithuanian troops would only be deployed if peace were achieved between the US and Iran.

ELTA notes that the military conflict in Iran began on February 28 with US and Israeli airstrikes. In response, Iran’s military effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments normally pass, causing a global surge in energy prices. Although the strait was unblocked after the first round of US-Iran talks, traffic has since halted again, with both Tehran and Washington now enforcing the blockade.

Meanwhile, opposition conservative leader Laurynas Kasčiūnas has argued that supporting the Hormuz mission is important to maintain the rotation of US troops in Lithuania, as the US is currently deciding on its military configuration in the country and across Europe.