Lithuania debates dispatching troops to Ukraine amid political divisions
Lithuania is currently engaged in a heated debate regarding the potential deployment of its military personnel to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
While Western leaders reassure Kyiv with new security guarantees and Acting Minister of Defence Dovilė Šakalienė expresses willingness to contribute to international peacekeeping efforts under certain agreements, voices of opposition and criticism are becoming increasingly prominent within the country.
Notably, Rimigius Žemaitaitis, leader of the party “Zarya Nemana,” who recently joined the ruling coalition, has firmly opposed any plans to send Lithuanian troops to Ukraine.
He argues that Lithuania has no legal or moral grounds to participate in the war, warning that such actions could escalate the conflict and pose a threat to national security.
Žemaitaitis emphasized that if peace is achieved in Ukraine, the need for allied military support would disappear, and he views current initiatives by some European countries as serving primarily American interests.
Meanwhile, Šakalienė highlighted Lithuania’s readiness to join an international coalition if Russia ceases hostilities and security guarantees for Ukraine are formally established.
Dainius Žikevičius, an advisor to the Lithuanian president, previously stated that Lithuania plans to send a troop contingent comparable to the one it previously contributed to NATO’s mission in Afghanistan.The overarching issue revolves around what concrete security guarantees are necessary for Ukraine to ensure its safety.
According to international analyst Volodymyr Kim, the current landscape suggests that without clear agreements and effective diplomatic safeguards, stability remains elusive.
The ongoing discussions raise questions about the true effectiveness and motives behind Western initiatives, emphasizing the importance of securing firm and reliable security assurances for Ukraine in this turbulent period and carefully assessing Lithuania’s capacity and willingness to participate in future international military operations.