Kaunas does not disclose whether NATO decision means increased air defence capabilities in Lithuania

Lithuania’s Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas has not revealed whether NATO’s latest decision on Baltic airspace protection implies an increase in the Alliance’s air defence systems or fighter jet capabilities in the region, LRT reports.

Following this week’s NATO summit in Ankara, President Gitanas Nausėda announced that the Alliance had decided to reclassify its Baltic air policing mission as an air defence mission.

Kaunas described the question of deploying additional air defence capabilities as a matter of “preparation and planning.”

“These are technical details that I am not authorised to disclose. The main message is that the capabilities we currently have in Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia will remain, and any further additions will be part of planning and preparation,” Kaunas told TV3.

According to the minister, the NATO decision will allow for faster responses to air threats in the Baltic states.

“For example, if we observe increased Russian air activity near Lithuania, we can make decisions immediately without waiting for special political moments,” Kaunas said. “Air defence is air defence, and if airspace is violated—especially deliberately—we will defend it.”

Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys previously stated that Lithuania had long sought this change, which is now being implemented and should take effect soon. He noted that the decision will grant the Supreme Allied Commander Europe certain authorisations, allowing fighter jets involved in the air policing mission to defend Baltic airspace and enabling the use of specific types of weapons.

NATO’s Baltic air policing mission began in March 2004, when Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia joined the Alliance. Since then, aircraft from Belgium, Denmark, Czech Republic, the UK, Spain, the US, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Romania, Turkey, Hungary, Germany, and Italy have conducted patrols in Baltic airspace.