NATO deploys formidable military power to protect Vilnius summit from Russia, Belarus

In order to safeguard U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and other alliance leaders convening next week only 32 km (20 miles) from Lithuania’s razor-wire-topped border barrier with Russian partner Belarus, NATO has transformed Vilnius into a fortress defended by cutting-edge weapons.

A total of 1,000 troops from sixteen NATO nations have been dispatched to protect the meeting on July 11 and 12, which will take place just 151 kilometres (94 miles) from Russia. Additionally, several are offering the Baltic States the advanced air defence equipment they 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.

The Baltic nations of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, which were formerly ruled by Moscow but are now members of NATO and the European Union, all spend more than 2% of their national GDP on defence, which is more than most other NATO partners do.

However, the region’s approximate 6 million inhabitants is insufficient to support sizable military, buy its own fighter jets, or develop sophisticated air defence.

To intercept ballistic, cruise, and warplane missiles, Germany sent out 12 vehicles equipped with Patriot missile launchers.

Spain has introduced a NASAMS air defence system, France is sending Caesar self-propelled howitzers, Finland, Denmark, and France are putting military jet bases in Lithuania, and the UK and France are sending anti-drone capabilities.

Special operations personnel with helicopter support were dispatched by Germany and Poland. To counter any potential chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attacks, others are deploying protective measures.

According to Nauseda, NATO must immediately establish long-term air defences in the Baltic states as part of the coalition’s commitment to assure air safety during the leader’s meeting.

“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 villages next to the Belarus border, locals told Reuters they feel totally safe, despite the Russian ally’s offer to accommodate Russia’s private Wagner militia and its hosting of Russian nuclear weapons.

“Do you think Wagner or Belarus could attack Lithuania, which is in NATO? They don’t have the guts. NATO is NATO, and we feel ourselves safe because we are in NATO. Why would we fear those Belarussians?”, said Edvard Rynkun, 67, in Kaniukai, a village 1 km (less than a mile) from Belarus.

“If Lithuania was alone, I would feel differently,” he added.

“If not for the NATO membership, things here could already be same as in Ukraine,” said Elena Tarasevic, 55, Rynkun’s neighbour.

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.

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.

Thousands of Middle Eastern migrants have crossed at the Belarus border in 2021, in an effort Lithuania and the European Union said was orchestrated by Minsk, a charge it denies. The numbers have since subsided.

“The situation is really very tense, because of aggression of Russia against Ukraine. So the (border protection) was already on a very, very high level (before the summit)”, said Liubajevas.

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.