“La prima volta che ci siamo preparati per la guerra in tempo di pace”: Lituania in prima linea nella difesa europea

**As a result of the Russian threat, the Baltic state has decided to increase its military spending to 6% of its GDP by 2030.**

It was barely 3:30 pm and the sun was already setting in late January on the dark waters of the Niemen, a river that originates in Belarus, flows through Lithuania and into the Baltic Sea. Its calm, shallow waters flow through vast expanses of fields and forests, marking the 100-kilometer border between Lithuania and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. On the north bank, the small town of Panemuné, population 200, faces Sovetsk, on the south bank. On one side fly the yellow, green and red flags of Lithuania, by the yellow and blue of Ukraine, on the other the white, blue and red flag of Russia. Between the two, the Queen Louise Bridge, built in the 19^(th) century on imposing stone piers, and now blocked by several rows of “dragon’s teeth.”

These large triangular concrete blocks were deployed by the Lithuanian army in September 2024 to prevent the passage of Russian tanks in the event of an attempted invasion. Passage between the two sides is still possible on foot; and that afternoon, a few pedestrians were waiting at the border post as a few snowflakes fell. No one could imagine that Moscow would try anything as long as its army was occupied in Ukraine. But what about afterward? “We don’t think Russia is ready to enter into military conflict with NATO, but if a peace agreement is reached and international sanctions are lifted, it will be able to rebuild its military power. We need to be prepared for this,” said Marius Cesnulevicius, the Lithuanian president’s defense adviser. “For this, we need weapons, ammunition and NATO troops on our soil,” he said in impeccable French, stressing the importance of a “credible deterrent.”

On January 17, Lithuania announced a further increase in its defense spending, with the aim of devoting between 5% and 6% of its GDP to it between 2026 and 2030, which amounts to doubling the budget planned for 2024 (€2.4 billion). It will be a considerable effort for this country of 2.8 million inhabitants, which has, moreover, pledged to support Ukraine militarily to the tune of 0.25% of its GDP. “Either we decide the budget or the enemy will decide for us,” said Cesnulevicius.

While the decision was not taken overnight, the announcement was, in any case, perfectly orchestrated, three days before the inauguration of Donald Trump, who is threatening his European allies to slam the door on NATO if they don’t spend more on their own defense. Some 1,000 American soldiers are stationed in Lithuania, in Pabradé, a short hour’s drive north of Vilnius, and less than 10 kilometers from the border with Belarus.

**Read the full article here:** [**https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/02/17/the-first-time-we-ve-prepared-for-war-in-peacetime-lithuania-at-the-forefront-of-european-defense_6738240_4.html**](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/02/17/the-first-time-we-ve-prepared-for-war-in-peacetime-lithuania-at-the-forefront-of-european-defense_6738240_4.html)

Peacetime is exactly when you prepare for war. We have known this for a few thousand years, Lithuania. Get with the programme.

America is withdrawing and Western Europe doesn’t care and has no willpower. We are so fucked once Russia invades. Better bump defence spending to at least put up a fight.

I say we send a shitload of troops and boats already to Lithuania and Poland to offset the Russian threat of invasion and show them we’re united and ready. I believe that if Russia goes for either of these countries, they will undoubtedly have to wage war against my country of Sweden anyway, as we have a large naval base nearby.