Lithuanian Prime Minister Sinkevičius: Security challenges on NATO’s eastern flank and the balance of social democracy

(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) Lithuania is located on the eastern flank of NATO, bordering Belarus and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast. Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, security has become one of the country's core political issues.

Mindaugas Sinkevicius, 42, recently became prime minister and leads the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party, a moderate center-left political force. In an exclusive interview with Deutsche Welle, he said he was worried about the growing growth of populist and far-right parties in Europe, especially in Western Europe. But he also argued that the actual situation was much more complex, citing signs of renewed support for the centre-left in several European countries governed by Social Democrats and elsewhere.

The sky of Lithuania is also the sky of NATO

For Lithuania, the war in Ukraine is closely linked to its own security. The country has repeatedly encountered incidents such as drones coming from the direction of Belarus, waves of migrants/refugees being used as tools, and weather balloons entering its territory. Sinkevicius said these conditions are fueling insecurity across Europe.

He said that as a politician, he must tell the truth to society. He listed air defense as Lithuania's most urgent security priority.

He said that Lithuania’s airspace is NATO’s common airspace, and Lithuania’s sky is also NATO’s sky; if Lithuania’s sky is safe, then NATO’s sky will be protected to a large extent.

Drone threat to Lithuania transcends borders

Sinkvicius said Lithuania was seeking more solidarity from its allies, noting that the threat extended beyond its borders - a series of drone incidents had also affected other European countries.

He emphasized that joining NATO does not mean that Lithuania can rely solely on its allies. He believes that collective defense can only be effective if each member state is ready and able to contribute.

Referring to the NATO treaty, he said, of course there is Article 5, of course there is collective defense; but at the same time, there are things that you have to do yourself and you cannot rely entirely on partners, neighbors and alliances.

For Lithuania, this means strengthening its own deterrence capabilities while continuing to rely on NATO and regional partnerships. He also mentioned that the "Nordic-Baltic Eight" (NB8) is an important framework for cooperation between the five Nordic countries and the three Baltic countries.

National security rises higher on domestic agenda

Sinkevicius disagrees with the idea that European countries must choose between traditional military equipment and new technologies such as drones.

Sometimes, he said, people pit the issues against each other — drones or tanks? And his view is that both are needed.

But in the view of the Lithuanian Prime Minister, the role of military equipment is limited. "If society doesn't feel safe, if people don't feel connected to the country, then drones and tanks can't protect us," he said.

In his view, this connection is as much about social policy as it is about defense. He argued that the state must also help the unemployed, the sick and other vulnerable people.

The assertion reflects the broader conundrum Sinkvicius faces as leader of the Lithuanian Social Democratic Party. Social Democrats have traditionally focused more on social policy, education and health care than on defence. Russia's war in Ukraine has changed the political environment, forcing Europe's center-left governments to put national security higher on their agendas.

The challenge, Sinkevicius said, is how to improve defense capabilities without abandoning social democratic principles.

"We will continue to support Ukraine"

Sinkevicius recently visited Kiev and Lutsk, Ukraine, where he met with Ukrainian political leaders. Lithuania has pledged to spend at least 0.25% of its GDP annually to support Ukraine. According to data cited by Uzbekistan, Lithuania’s support in recent years has accounted for approximately 0.3% of its GDP.

The prime minister acknowledged that there was indeed a degree of "war fatigue" in Europe. But he said European society should think about the weight of what Ukrainians have been through.

He said he sometimes asks himself: If even we Europeans feel tired, how will Ukrainian society feel?

Sinkevicius also pointed out that Western European countries, especially Germany, play a key role in maintaining support for Ukraine.

He said support and assistance must continue. He said that if the western front is lax and wavering, the risk of failure will increase on the eastern front where Russia is fighting Ukraine.