Lithuanian PM says drone incidents highlight need for stronger NATO eastern flank
Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene stated that recent drone incursions over the Baltic states underscore the need for a stronger NATO presence and credible deterrence along the alliance’s eastern flank. Her remarks followed a French fighter jet shooting down a drone over Latvia. Nordic-Baltic leaders and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy also discussed security and defense cooperation.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said that recent drone incursions over the Baltic states highlight the need for a stronger NATO presence along the alliance’s eastern flank. Speaking after a summit of Nordic-Baltic leaders in Tallinn on Tuesday, Ruginiene said: “Recent drone incidents underscore the importance of a strong NATO presence and credible deterrence across the alliance’s entire eastern flank.” Her remarks followed several recent airspace violations in the region. On Monday, French fighter jets participating in NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down a drone spotted over Latvia.
Ukraine’s lessons
Ruginiene noted that Ukraine’s experience in dealing with drone threats offers valuable lessons for the Baltic region. The leaders of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also discussed regional security, defense cooperation, and continued support for Ukraine during the summit. The drone incidents come amid heightened tensions in Eastern Europe following Russia’s war on Ukraine, which has seen increased use of drones by both sides.
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