Lithuania must be ready to defend itself for at least two weeks

In the event of a Russian attack, Lithuania must be ready to defend itself for at least two weeks, says a former commanding general of US Army Europe.

Lt Gen (ret) Ben Hodges said that while attending the Vilnius Security Forum held in the Seimas on Friday.

NATO’s Article 5 guarantees are not automatic as it needs political will to be activated, according to him. This means that Lithuania must be prepared to stand its ground until allied reinforcements arrive.

Rapid reinforcement is also part of NATO doctrine, Hodges said, highlighting that a big sign on the border saying that “We are spending 3% of GDP on defence” will not stop a single Russian vehicle.

The Parliament is hosting the 9th Vilnius Security Forum with a focus on NATO’s general deterrence strategy and its challenges.