Jauniškis says NATO’s threshold is an open attack

Lithuania’s ambassador to NATO, Darius Jauniškis, said the alliance’s collective-defence threshold is an open military attack, while countries should initially respond to hybrid incidents themselves, in an interview with LRT.

NATO ambassadors held a lengthy discussion on what were described as Russian attempts to test the alliance’s limits. Jauniškis said concern was high and that measures were being taken, but he could not disclose details because the meeting was confidential.

He said Article 5 of the NATO treaty sets out when the alliance responds, and that invoking it would require clear attribution and identifiable military action. He added that NATO was not refusing to act in the face of hybrid threats.

Jauniškis said national intelligence services, law enforcement and other agencies should be prepared to deal with incidents such as sabotage. NATO has a shared approach, including guidance and strategy, and has sent anti-hybrid teams to provide advice and assessments, he said.

He said NATO would help countries facing such incidents, but stressed that it is a military alliance focused on military threats and open aggression. Bulgaria and Romania have requested additional defence capabilities, while Lithuania also faces security challenges.