U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia that they would not be on their own if faced with security threats from Russia. But he stopped short of promising a permanent troop deployment in the region.
Austin was in Lithuania as a massive Russian troop buildup and other actions have Western officials saying that“They are uncoiling and are now poised to strike,” Austin said Saturday about the readiness of Russia’s troops to attack Ukraine.
Lithuanian officials voiced concern that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s alleged ambitions could expand to the entire region.“The battle for Ukraine is a battle for Europe. If Putin is not stopped there, he will go further,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said during a joint news conference with Austin.
“They are choosing the way that is based on force. We need to send a very clear and unambiguous message that it would be faced by a very clear and swift response” Landsbergis said.
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