Lithuania is on NATO's eastern flank, bordering Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad region. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, security has become one of the country's central political priorities. The 42-year-old Mindaugas Sinkevicius recently took over as prime minister and also leads Lithuania's Social Democratic Party, a moderate center-left political force.
In an exclusive interview with DW, he said he is concerned by the growing popularity of populist and far-right parties across Europe, particularly in Western Europe. But he also argued that the picture is more complicated, pointing to Social Democratic governments in several European countries and signs of renewed support for the center-left elsewhere. For Lithuania, the war in Ukraine is closely connected to its own security.
The country has experienced a series of incidents involving drones, instrumentalized migration and weather balloons entering its territory from Belarus. Sinkevicius said these developments have contributed to a broader sense of insecurity across Europe. "As politicians, we have to tell society the truth," he said, identifying air defense as Lithuania's most urgent security priority.
"Lithuania's airspace is NATO's common airspace. Lithuanian skies are NATO skies," he said. "If Lithuanian skies are safe, then NATO's skies are largely protected as well." Sinkevicius said Lithuania is seeking greater solidarity from its allies, pointing out that the threat goes beyond its national borders.
A series of incidents involving drones have affected other European countries as well. Sinkevicius stressed that NATO membership does not mean Lithuania can simply rely on its allies. Collective defense, he argued, works only when individual members are prepared to contribute.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video "Of course, there is Article 5. Of course, there is collective defense," he said, referring to the NATO pact. "But at the same time, we need to do certain things ourselves, rather than relying solely on our partners, neighbors and alliances." For Lithuania, this means strengthening its own deterrence capabilities while continuing to work through NATO and regional partnerships.
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