Lithuanian President, Gitanas Nausėda has urged the European Union to intensify efforts to strengthen airspace security in Baltic States amid growing concerns.
Nausėda warned that“the skies above the Baltic states are not sufficiently secure today,” and the EU needs to step up its actions in this area.
He made the plea as the Presidents of the Baltic States; Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania spoke at a joint press conference with the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen in Vilnius. The leaders met after a few days of raising tensions between the Baltic States and Russia after several drone incidents and with Moscow spreading repeatedly denied allegations that the region was preparing to work with Ukraine on launching attacks on Russia.
Nausėda stated that the drone incursions were “a direct consequence of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine; yet another reminder of how close the war is to us.” He also condemned “increasingly aggressive Russian rhetoric,” including “coordinated disinformation campaign and attempts to spread false accusations against the Baltic states and other NATO allies.”
“I want to state very clearly the Baltic states have not allowed and will not allow their territory or airspace to be used for attacks against other countries. All Kremlin attempts to shift the responsibility on to others are cynical propaganda designed to divert attention from the fundamental fact that it was Russia that launched a brutal and illegal war against Ukraine.”
Gitanas Nausėda
The three Presidents of the Baltic States repeatedly asserted that they reject Russian allegations that their countries allowed Ukraine to launch drones from its territories. Latvia’s Edgars Rinkēvičs stressed, “One thing that I also want to reiterate what Presidents all said,…Latvia, like Lithuania or Estonia, has not given any permission to use airspace or the territory for such attacks.”
On her part, European Commission’s President, Ursula von der Leyen, acknowledged that the Baltic states “have been experiencing what many believed belonged to another era.”
“Air raid alerts, families sheltering, schools closing, transport interrupted. This is the reality on Europe’s eastern border in 2026. Today it is here. Tomorrow it will be elsewhere along the eastern border.”
Ursula von der Leyen
She said that the EU “must be clear about what it means,” and warned that “these are not isolated incidents” but rather “a deliberate strategy from Russia trying to destabilise our democratic societies.”
“Europe stands in full solidarity and unity with Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, because when Baltic states are being tested, Europe as a whole is being tested.”
Ursula von der Leyen
She added that the EU is investing more in readiness and necessary defence projects.
Baltic States Say Europe Should Be Ready For Eventual Peace Talks With Russia
The leaders where asked about how Europe should be involved in any eventual peace talks with Russia. To this, Estonia’s Alar Karis said he raised the issue some time ago, and faced criticism back home for his comments. Nonetheless, he noted that Europe needs to be ready to talk and figure out its future relationship with Russia.
“We have to find a way how to deal with Russia after the war is over, but of course Russia has to change first of all. But we have to prepare for it because we never know when our pressure to Russia is so good that they are able to come to the table and start discussing, and we as Europeans should be ready.”
Alar Karis
Latvia’s Edgars Rinkēvičs struck a similar note.
“Are we going to move at some point to the diplomatic effort? I can’t rule out anything because things are changing. Is this the right time? I doubt it. Is Russia ready? I doubt it.”
Edgars Rinkēvičs
However, he stated that Russia likes to negotiate with individual countries to divide them and pick against each other. He said, “Russia really hates EU or NATO as the collective force, because then we are much stronger.” “They try to divide us,” he added.
Lithuania’s Gitanas Nausėda agreed, saying, “Discussions, negotiations, talks can only start when Russia would reach out for actual ceasefire, and would end this aggression in Ukraine; maybe then it would be appropriate to talk.”
“But I think the worst option is to talk separately with 27 separate voices. There have been such efforts in the past. All of them were a failure. We can clearly state that. Therefore, I support one voice on behalf of all Europe.”
Gitanas Nausėda
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