Nausėda calls for stronger NATO deterrence against Russian threats
Tuesday 10th November 2026 on 14:45 in
Lithuania
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said Russian hybrid attacks increasingly pose a direct threat to NATO countries and called for stronger Alliance deterrence and air defence, LRT reported after his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Hybrid attacks are increasingly crossing the line from ordinary provocations to direct actions against our countries’ security. We must clearly show that any aggression against NATO states is bound to fail,” Nausėda said in a statement on Tuesday.
He cited Russian drones entering NATO airspace, acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns as signs that Moscow is increasingly testing the resilience of NATO and the European Union. He said NATO defence plans must be fully implemented and called for closer defence cooperation with France.
Nausėda described France as an important ally contributing to the security of Lithuania and the region. He said the countries should deepen defence cooperation and strategic dialogue on European security and nuclear deterrence. Greater European responsibility for its own security, he added, should strengthen the transatlantic partnership and NATO.
On support for Ukraine, Nausėda called for sustained military and financial assistance, stronger air defences and protection of energy infrastructure as winter approaches. He said Russia must not be allowed to achieve its goals by exhausting Ukraine and its people, and that pressure on Moscow should be increased consistently.
He also said no talks on Ukraine’s future could take place without Ukraine, and that Europe must be involved in decisions on the future security architecture of the continent.
The presidents discussed Lithuania’s preparations to hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2027. Nausėda outlined priorities including European security and defence, support for Ukraine, EU enlargement, competitiveness, internal security and societal resilience. He also stressed the need to reach an agreement on the EU’s multiannual financial framework for 2028 to 2034 on time.