Lithuanian PM says no signs Russia is preparing to attack Baltic states

Lithuania has no indications that Russia is currently preparing for a military attack on the Baltic states, Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė said Wednesday, though she acknowledged the region remains vulnerable to hybrid threats and provocations.

“Today there are certainly no signals that there could be any specific moments of attack here and now,” Ruginienė told reporters in Vilnius, according to public broadcaster LRT. “Undoubtedly, we must not dismiss the fact that we live very close to a conflict zone. We are neighbours with Belarus, and various provocations and hybrid attacks occur—we face them almost every day.”

She stressed that robust preparedness remains essential to adapt security strategies to current realities. Her comments follow recent statements by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who suggested Russia’s restrictions on social media access could signal preparations for either a major new offensive in Ukraine or an attack on a Baltic state.

Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna rejected Zelenskyy’s claim, stating that Tallinn’s intelligence had detected no Russian troop buildup or other preparations for an attack on the Baltics. Ruginienė echoed this stance, urging caution against alarmist rhetoric.

“I would agree that we must truly avoid fearmongering rhetoric, especially since there are no grounds for it,” she said. “If we saw such grounds, our own rhetoric would likely change.”

On potential dialogue with Belarus, Ruginienė reiterated Lithuania’s position: Vilnius remains open to technical exchanges but demands Minsk first halt cross-border provocations, including the smuggling of migrants and incursion balloons. “We are prepared, but we want to see goodwill from the other side,” she said, noting slow progress on resolving these issues.

Her remarks come after Lithuania’s State Security Department warned that reopening dialogue with Belarus could increase risks, though it stopped short of advising against the move. Presidential advisor Deividas Matulionis had previously indicated lower-level political contacts with Minsk were under consideration.