NATO ramps up security ahead of Vilnius summit
NATO has turned Vilnius into a fortress defended by advanced weaponry to protect U.S. President Joe Biden and other alliance leaders ahead of its summit scheduled for July 11-12.
Sixteen NATO allies have sent a total of about 1,000 troops to safeguard the summit which will take place only 32 km (20 miles) from Lithuania’s razor-wire topped border fence with Russian ally Belarus and only 151 km (94 miles) from Russia itself.
Many are also providing advanced air defence systems which the Baltic states lack.
“It would be more than irresponsible to have our sky unprotected as Biden and leaders of 40 countries are arriving,” Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said.
Allied effort
Germany deployed 12 vehicles Patriot missile launchers, used to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles or warplanes.
Spain has brought a NASAMS air defence system, France is sending Caesar self-propelled howitzers, France, Finland, and Denmark are basing military jets in Lithuania, and the United Kingdom and France are supplying anti-drone capabilities.
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Poland and Germany sent helicopter-enhanced special operations forces. Others are sending measures to deal with any potential chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear atacks.
The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia, once under Moscow’s rule but part of both NATO and the European Union since 2004, all spend above 2% of their economies on defence, a larger share than most other NATO allies.
But for the region with total population of about 6 million people, this is not enough to sustain large militaries, invest in their own fighter jets or advanced air defence.
For Nauseda, the allied effort to ensure air safety during the leader’s gathering means NATO needs to urgently set up permanent air defences in the Baltic states.
“We think about what happens after the summit ends, and we will work with allies to create a rotating force for a permanent air protection”, he told reporters.
At Vilnius airport, eight German-operated Patriot missile launchers were seen standing with their nozzles pointed in the direction of Russia’s Kaliningrad. Two more pointed towards Belarus. All of the launchers were operational since Friday morning.
“You know where you are situated geographically, and you know pretty well where the threat is coming from”, said Lt Col Steffen Lieb, commander of the Patriot deployment.
“Lithuania asked us for protection of the summit, and also NATO asked Germany for help. This is our answer,” he added.
Tripled border guards
Lithuania has tripled the deployment of border guards at the Belarus and Russian borders for the summer, augmented by officers from Latvia and Poland. The two countries have also sent police to help patrol Vilnius.
“We are preparing for various provocations”, border guard chief Rustamas Liubajevas said. He added that he feared waves of migrants at the border, or border violations, or military vehicles appearing at the border without explanation.
Border checks on Lithuania’s European Union borders with Poland and Latvia were reintroduced for the summit.
The mayor of Vilnius has suggested citizens go on holiday outside the city if they want to avoid disruption, as large parts of central Vilnius will be closed off for the summit.
