Lithuania bolsters defense amid heightened Russian threat
Historically, Russia has not honoured agreements. "The only good negotiation is when you have a gun on the table," said the head of Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence, Dovilė Šakalienė. She was referring to the ongoing negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.
"In my opinion, the only efficient diplomacy with Russia was what Al Capone said, the only good negotiation is when you have a gun on the table. So that's probably the kind of diplomacy that would work with Russia," said Dovilė Šakalienė, the Lithuanian Defence Minister, in an interview with Fox News.
She added that in Lithuania, no one trusts Putin's words. "Historically, Russia has never ever kept an agreement," the Lithuanian minister added. She expressed hope that Donald Trump would negotiate firmly with his Russian counterpart.
Lithuanian Defence Minister: Putin plans expansion
According to Šakalienė, Lithuania is under constant intimidation from Russia. Therefore, it is increasing its defence spending. Next year, Vilnius plans to spend around 6% of its GDP on armaments. Lithuania's capability is still tiny compared to Russia, which is expanding its army to 1.5 million soldiers. According to the Lithuanian Defence Minister, much of this is thanks to Beijing.
Russia is able to boost its military production so efficiently because China is feeding it. It is useful for China to have this war of exhaustion, and also it is useful for China, even though it supplies Russia, to see Russia also lose a lot of its soldiers – a lot of its weapons and equipment – because a weaker Russia is more convenient to China," Šakalienė believes.
Šakalienė added that Putin has "more imperial expansion plans in his hand." However, in her conversation with Fox News, she did not specify these plans.
Lithuania withdraws from agreement
Recently, it was reported that Lithuania is withdrawing from the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Šakalienė explained why the country is taking this step.
We want to be ready to use anything and everything necessary to protect our borders. We don't want Russians to come to our homes again. We want to send a strategic message, a very clear message, that we will do anything to protect ourselves," said the head of Lithuania's Ministry of National Defence.
In conclusion, she added that one cannot underestimate the enemy that is Russia. "This is a mistake," Šakalienė said. "You have to see them for what they are," she added.
