NATO – Directly Addresses Putin
In a historic declaration, Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius asserted, “We stand prepared to defend NATO’s territory.” This momentous decision marks the first instance in NATO’s history where Germany has committed to the permanent deployment of its army soldiers to another European nation. More than 5,000 German troops are set to be stationed in NATO ally Lithuania, strategically positioned just ten miles from the Russian border.
This unprecedented move is a direct response to Russia’s aggressive actions against Ukraine and heightened verbal threats towards various European nations. It serves as a pointed message to the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin, with Defence Minister Boris Pistorius formally announcing the deployment of German forces to the Baltic region. Pistorius emphasized, “We are sending a clear signal to all who may pose a threat to peace and security in Europe.”
Given Lithuania’s modest army of 15,000 soldiers, Germany’s decision is warmly welcomed, especially considering Russia’s proximity to the shared border. Tensions between Russia and Lithuania have been escalating over the past year, exacerbated by the NATO member’s suspension of cargo traffic to Kaliningrad. Last summer, Lithuania remained on high alert due to concerns about potential Russian retaliatory actions, and in August of this year, along with Latvia and Poland, it faced nuclear threats from Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.
Lukashenko boldly declared, “We will use them immediately if aggression is directed against us.” Meanwhile, Putin dismissed warnings from NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg and U.S. President Joe Biden regarding Russia’s potential invasion of more countries following its actions in Ukraine. Notably, a military buildup has been observed along the Russian-Finnish border.
This dismissive stance was reiterated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who remarked, “The fact that serious people like the President of the United States are saying this out loud says a lot about their desperate situation.” The deployment of German troops to Lithuania is anticipated to be fully realized by the year 2027, marking a significant development in NATO’s efforts to address regional security concerns.
