There is an option to send Lithuanian military to Ukraine. But this is not just a desire to send people, but a carefully planned response to specific requests from Ukrainian partners regarding training, logistics, work with specific types of weapons or cybersecurity. This was stated by the Prime Minister of Lithuania Ingrid Šimonite in an interview during a telethon, UNN reports.
When asked if and when Lithuania is still considering sending its military to Ukraine, Šimonite replied: "There is such an option. We are discussing options, particularly in the context of President Macron's initiative and his proposal to send troops to Ukraine. Although Lithuania has every right to send its soldiers, it depends on Ukraine's needs. This is not just a desire to send people, but a carefully planned response to specific requests from Ukrainian partners, such as training, logistics, work with specific types of weapons or cybersecurity.
She noted that Lithuania closely cooperates with Ukrainian institutions and always relies on what is needed in Ukraine.
We have the legal right to do this and we have a quota of people who can be sent when it is necessary. We were among those countries that immediately supported the statement of (French President Emanuel - ed.) Macron, because this approach is very correct. It's not about sending combat units, as some have suggested, but about providing Ukraine with the necessary training assistance, protecting its borders, and providing other specialists that may be needed
According to her, the most important thing in Macron's initiative is to introduce an element of strategic ambiguity.
The West is often very clear about its intentions, and Putin can anticipate them and adjust his strategy accordingly. But Macron has decided to create uncertainty, which is useful, forcing Russia to guess at our actions, and not allowing it to be sure of its strategy. Just like with the operation in Kursk. Let the Russians guess whether it is just a concentration of the army or something else. Such strategic ambiguity creates additional pressure on Russia and prevents it from being too confident that the West will always act predictably
Addendum
Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite said in May 2024 that is ready to send its soldiers to Ukraine for a training mission.
At the end of May, Le Monde reported that French President Emmanuel Macron was seeking to create a coalition of European states to send military instructors to Ukraine.