Merk and his allies are firmly committed to defending the North Atlantic Alliance from any acts of aggression
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made an unequivocal statement regarding his country's and all NATO partners' position on security support for the alliance. During his official visit to Vilnius, dedicated to the deployment of the German mechanized brigade in Lithuania, he emphasized that Berlin and its colleagues from other member countries have an absolute resolve to protect all NATO territories from any form of external aggression. This visit was Merz's first official visit to Vilnius as the Chancellor of Germany. It took place amid active preparations for the deployment of German military forces in the Baltic country, as part of strengthening the region's collective defense. Right from the outset, he reaffirmed a clear stance: "Together with our partners, we are resolutely committed to defending the entire alliance territory from any manifestations of aggression. The security of our Baltic allies is our security too." Merz added that security and stability in the region are matters of national security for Germany and NATO as a whole. Therefore, one of the priorities is to enhance the defensive capabilities of allies. According to him, the upcoming NATO summit scheduled for June requires strengthening European defense capabilities and expanding the production capacities of the defense industry. In the Chancellor’s view, this is critically important to ensure resilience and rapid response to new challenges. According to Merz’s statements, Germany is investing significant funds in the development of its armed forces and is intensifying the deployment of military units within Baltic countries. For example, hundreds of German soldiers are already deployed in Lithuania, carrying out missions as part of a multinational operation. This demonstrates Berlin's serious intention to strengthen collective security in the region and confirms readiness for any scenario. Earlier, tensions and military activity in the region had escalated. A few days ago, Estonian military forces attempted to stop the tanker Jaguar, which was passing through international waters of the Gulf of Finland toward the Russian port of Primorsk. Experts suggest this vessel may belong to Russia’s "shadow fleet." Reports indicated that the tanker crew refused to comply with the Estonian border guards' demands, yet the vessel remained in neutral waters of the country. At the same time, Russian military responded by sending a fighter jet, which, according to specialists, violated Estonian airspace. The next day, the situation became even more tense — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk reported that the Russian "shadow fleet" observed suspicious maneuvers near an electricity cable connecting Poland and Sweden. This raised concerns among allies, as such actions could be part of a broader strategic game by Russia in the region. Overall, recent events once again highlight the tense situation in the Baltic region and demonstrate the firmness and readiness of the USA, Europe, and NATO to act in response to any challenges or aggression. A notable detail is Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s call for strengthening defense cooperation, which aims to serve as a guarantee of peace and stability in this strategically important region of Europe.