NATO steps up security for summit in Lithuania

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is deploying measures to enhance security for the military alliance's summit, scheduled to take place on July 11-12 in Lithuania.

NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: AFP/VNA

So far, 16 NATO member states have sent a total of about 1,000 troops to Lithuania to provide security for the leaders attending the summit. Many countries are also providing advanced air defense systems that the Baltic states lack. Germany has deployed 12 Patriot missile launchers, which can intercept ballistic and cruise missiles or fighter jets. Spain is sending NASAMS air defense systems, France is sending Caesar self-propelled guns, while Britain and France will provide anti-drone capabilities. Germany, Poland and several other countries are also providing security support for the NATO summit, including the ability to respond to chemical, biological and nuclear attacks.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said that the allies' efforts to ensure air defense security for the NATO summit meant the military alliance needed to quickly establish a permanent air defense force in the Baltic states. He said Lithuania would work with its allies to establish a rotational force for a permanent air defense mission after the event.

The Baltic states of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia are all members of NATO and the European Union (EU). They have pledged to spend more than 2% of their GDP on defense by 2024. But for a region of about 6 million people, that is not enough to maintain large armies, invest in its own fighter jets or develop advanced air defense systems.

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