Lithuania would weigh sending troops to support the US in a conflict with Iran if Washington formally requested help.
Asta Skaisgirytė, the chief foreign policy adviser to Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, revealed the possibility after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets, which Tehran answered with attacks on American bases in the Middle East.
She said that America has not yet called for assistance, and emphasized that any troop deployment remains theoretical.
“So far, we do not have such a request, and of course, if we received such a request, we would consider it together with other allies,” LRT quoted Skaisgirytė as saying.
Skaisgirytė also defended the strikes, arguing that diplomacy had failed to halt Iran’s nuclear activity.
“Unfortunately, Iran did not take into account US demands to stop enriching uranium, to stop producing nuclear weapons, and preventive strikes occurred,” she said.
“We believe that the US and Israel acted correctly in this case and we consider it an unavoidable matter.”
Supporting Preventive Measures
Speaking separately after a State Defence Council meeting in Vilnius, Nausėda said efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions had stalled and warned of broader risks.
“If nothing had been done, we must ask what would have happened if Iran had completed its nuclear programme, acquired a nuclear weapon, and begun brandishing it,” Delfi quoted the president as saying.
Nausėda added that Lithuania, together with Poland, Finland, and the Baltic states, had prior knowledge of the planned strikes and said regional leaders see no signs of heightened threats to Lithuania’s security.
“The Polish president informed me that they are in constant contact with the US administration and ready to share all available information. The situation in our region remains unchanged,” he stated.
