Military planners fear competing demands on scarce naval capabilities
Eastern EU member states are signalling a willingness to contribute to a possible European mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, while stressing that any deployment must not come at the expense of NATO’s eastern flank.
Robertas Kaunas, Lithuania’s defence minister, told reporters on Wednesday in response to a Euractiv question that Vilnius backed a “360-degree” approach to European security, including participation in a Hormuz mission, but warned allies against losing focus on Moscow.
“This mission is very important for Greece, Italy, other countries, and for Lithuania too,” he said. “But we also must show the rest of Europe that right now the biggest threat comes from the east, from Russia and Belarus.”
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