Leaders from the Baltic states have convened in Riga to coordinate a unified response to what they describe as a persistent and evolving threat from Russia. Delegations from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are expected to place particular emphasis on security during the presidential talks, especially hybrid attacks, energy resilience and continued support for Ukraine. Lithuanian MEP Petras Auštrevičius told TVP World that “the agenda is dominated by major issues—security, regional security, threats coming from the Russian Federation, as well as the situation in Ukraine.” He said that the region “sees no signs of getting into something better,” underlining the need for coordinated planning and EU-level backing. Lithuania has faced a surge in hybrid pressure, including repeated disruptions at Vilnius Airport caused by smuggling balloons launched from Belarus. Auštrevičius described them as a “very much hybrid threat,” arguing that it is impossible they operate without Belarusian security services’ knowledge. He said Lithuania is urgently searching for technical means to neutralize them and called for “asymmetrical measures” at the EU level, including additional sanctions targeting Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. to The country is also preparing a substantial expansion of conscription. Lithuania plans call up 5,000 young men in 2026 as part of a broader military buildup. “It’s not a limit in itself,” Auštrevičius said, noting that increased training capacity, improved infrastructure and weekend reservist exercises will all be needed as readiness rises. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts concerning Ukraine, Lithuania maintains that Russia will remain a direct military threat even if a peace agreement is reached. Auštrevičius said that any future ceasefire must address not only frontline hostilities but also hybrid aggression already directed at the EU and NATO. Europe, he argued, “must be at the table of negotiations,” ensuring these threats are part of any settlement.
