Lambrecht in Lithuania: Diplomacy and “credible deterrence”

It is the new Defense Minister Lambrecht’s first trip abroad: In Lithuania, German NATO soldiers are talking about the tense relationship with Russia. When it comes to dealing with Moscow, Lambrecht relies on a dual strategy.

Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht has assured the Baltic states of Germany’s solidarity in the face of tensions with Russia. “My first mission trip takes me deliberately to Lithuania,” said the SPD politician in Rukla, Lithuania, where she visited German soldiers from the NATO Combat Group (eFP).

At a joint press conference with her Lithuanian colleague Arvydas Anusauskas, she affirmed the importance of solidarity among the Allies: “We stand firmly by the side of our partners and friends.” The excellent cooperation will be continued.

“Can understand the worries”

“The situation in Ukraine is very serious and I can understand the concerns of our Baltic allies and understand when you feel threatened.” The tense situation in the face of the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine must be resolved diplomatically, but at the same time, “what is required is a credible deterrent” against Russia, demanded Lambrecht.

Two of the three Baltic states – Latvia and Estonia – border directly on Russia. The governments there also saw their security threatened after the annexation of Crimea by Moscow, which is why NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) was created almost five years ago. At the beginning of 2017, the defense alliance began relocating soldiers to the Baltic states and Poland.

Lambrecht now visited the members of the Bundeswehr who are on duty in the eFP mission. The so-called battle groups in the four NATO countries each consist of around 1,000 soldiers. Germany has taken the lead over the association in Lithuania, which also includes emergency services from Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and the Czech Republic. There are currently around 500 members of the armed forces in the force.

“Targeting Putin and those around him”

Lambrecht had already spoken out in favor of tougher sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin before her trip. “Right now we have to target Putin and those around him,” she told “Bild am Sonntag”.

Those “responsible for the aggression” would have to feel “personal consequences”, “for example, that they can no longer go shopping on the Champs Élysées in Paris,” said the SPD politician. “We have to exhaust all possibilities to stop an escalation. This includes the threat of harsh sanctions.”

Given a massive Russian troop deployment on the border with Ukraine, there are fears that Moscow could attack the neighboring country. The G7 and the EU threaten Russia with “massive consequences” in the event of an attack.