NATO moves in response to Russian aggression

VILNIUS, Lithuania — NATO inaugurated a military centre in the Lithuanian capital Thursday amid growing concerns in the Baltic countries over Russia’s military presence.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who joined Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite for the opening ceremony, described the new unit as a “big step forward toward greater solidarity, greater strength and greater readiness.”

The NATO force integration unit in Vilnius is one of six small headquarters — manned by some 40 staff each — that opened this month in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Romania, as part of the alliance’s biggest reinforcement of collective defence since the end of the Cold War.

Grybauskaite welcomed the new units, saying they would ensure the quick and effective movement of troops.

“And they help send a very clear message — no NATO ally stands alone,” she said, pointing to Russian aggression in Ukraine as threatening the security of Europe. “This is why we have decided to bolster our security.”

Lithuania and its Baltic neighbours, Latvia and Estonia, were occupied for nearly five decades by the Soviet Union. They regained independence in 1991 and joined the European Union and NATO in 2004, but continue to be suspicious of Moscow’s intentions.

In February, the Lithuanian government restored compulsory military service for men aged 19 to 27, but is reconsidering the measure after a flood of applications from volunteers wanting to serve in the armed forces, expected to reach 3,000 by the end of the year.