Kubilius questions Lithuania’s defence role and drone preparedness

European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius says he has not heard Lithuania actively taking part in discussions on Europe’s future defence plans as the United States considers reducing its role in European security, LRT reported Tuesday.

Countries such as Lithuania and other Baltic states, which are not among Europe’s largest in size or military capacity, should be especially concerned about strengthening Europe’s collective defence capabilities, Kubilius told LRT Radio. He said he had not heard Lithuania actively participating in discussions on Europe’s future defence architecture or a European pillar of NATO.

The Pentagon is conducting a six-month review of US force deployments in Europe, with the aim of shifting more responsibility for conventional defence to European NATO allies. The review is due to conclude in December. President Gitanas Nausėda has said that, although the number of US troops in Europe is declining, some will continue to be stationed in Lithuania on a rotational basis. He described that as an encouragement to Lithuania and acknowledged that the US troop reduction signals that European countries must take greater responsibility for their security.

Kubilius also said he had seen no clear evidence that Lithuania could respond to a swarm of drones entering its airspace. He said the country should demonstrate that its air defence forces and armed forces could handle such an incursion, rather than wait for one or two stray or deliberately sent drones to enter the country.

He raised concerns in late September about shortcomings in Lithuania’s air threat detection system and the need to prepare to identify and counter drone swarms, not just shoot down individual drones.

On Sunday morning, a red air alert was issued in Panevėžys and Šiauliai counties after an object entered Lithuanian airspace. The alert was lifted about an hour later. The Lithuanian military said the drone was suspected of entering from Poland, and Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius later confirmed that it was Ukrainian-made and carried explosives. Wreckage was found in Juodžioniai village in Pasvalys district and damaged a passing car. No passengers were injured.