Lithuania believes that the continued presence of American troops in the country is more important than U.S. defense finances. This was stated by Defense Minister Dovile Shakaliiene.
Shakaliiene claims that Washington has not yet made a final decision on the retention of its troops in the region. At the same time, she emphasized that the continued presence of American troops in the country is more important than U.S. defense funding.
"We have received very positive feedback from both the U.S. Congress and Senate regarding the Baltic Security Initiative. But one of the key points is that we must also approach this political game rationally, namely the presence of troops in our region," she said.
Shakaliiene noted that Vilnius is focusing its diplomatic efforts on the ongoing review by the U.S. of troop deployments in Europe.
"Our main priority is the presence of allied forces. Our primary goal is the further deployment of American troops, and that is where we are directing most of our efforts," she stated.
She noted that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump initially planned to complete the review of troop deployments in Europe by early September, but this process has been delayed, which she believes is favorable for Lithuania.
"Strangely enough, Russia is helping us by demonstrating its unreliability and aggressive behavior, which enhances the perception of risk from the U.S. government," Shakaliiene added.
