WARSAW, Poland — Poland and Lithuania are making clear their intention to aid American operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid denials that the United States is reducing troops on the eastern flank of NATO.Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kestutis Budrys told reporters in Vilnius on Thursday that although his country was “not part of [operations in Iran] from the beginning,” they are now “on our way” to aid the U.S. in opening the Strait of Hormuz.“Our state defense council made the decision that we will be present in operations and securing the free navigation in the Hormuz Strait and in the [Persian] Gulf,” Budrys said. “What operation it will be — it will depend on the speed of the preparation of the plan of this operation.”
Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kestutis Budrys speaks to reporters at the ministry office in Vilnius. (Timothy Nerozzi/Washington Examiner)
He added, “I’m sure that we will be there with our troops and with our flag.”
During a meeting with reporters in Warsaw on Friday, Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Bosacki also confirmed his country’s discussions of how it can help the U.S.
“U.S. requests for possible military aid into, for example, securing Hormuz — we are responding and responding positively,” Bosacki said. “This is within the pipeline of discussion both with our American friends and allies and within NATO.”
