Lithuania quietly prepares for possible escalations, Sinkevičius says

Lithuania is quietly preparing for possible escalations as Russia increases tensions, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said, according to LRT.

His comments followed warnings by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk that the next six months would be decisive.

“Both civilian and military intelligence are monitoring the situation and the escalation. They occur periodically,” Sinkevičius told journalists at the Government.

He said Lithuania was strengthening the protection of strategic facilities, intensively funding its military capabilities and considering how to ensure the security of its airspace more quickly.

“We are preparing quietly and do not explain too much about what we are doing,” Sinkevičius said. He added that not everything could be discussed publicly because Lithuania’s statements were being monitored and read by potentially unfriendly countries.

LRT reported that Tusk said last week that Russia could intensify the war in Ukraine and provoke NATO.

On Saturday, after speaking with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, Tusk wrote on the social network X that the coming six months would be decisive as Russia increased tensions. He said Poland and the alliance’s other members had to be prepared.

Tusk also said Ukraine needed greater support for air defence as it resists Russian aggression, adding that this was also important for Poland’s security. He said providing that assistance was the task of all Europe.