Lithuanian president seeks clear US commitment to NATO's collective defense ahead of summit

Speaking in an interview with Lithuania’s LRT TV on Friday, Nauseda said he expected clarity on the alliance’s core security guarantee during the meeting in Ankara.

“We are still waiting for a very clear statement that Article 5 is indisputable, sacred,” he said. “I hope that will be said in one form or another in Ankara.”

Article 5 (NATO Treaty) states that an armed attack against one or more members is considered an attack against all, though any collective response requires agreement among allies. It has been invoked once, following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the US.

Nauseda said criticism from Trump that some allies contribute less to collective security should be seen as a push for increased defense spending across the alliance.

“I believe President Trump is simply concerned that all countries understand their responsibility equally and that there should not be a club of those who contribute less and those who contribute more,” he argued.

The Lithuanian president added he hoped the summit would reinforce the idea that collective defense is not only the responsibility of NATO members bordering Russia but of the entire alliance.

“If there is greater understanding of this after the Ankara meeting, I will consider the summit a success,” he said.

Nauseda also said decisions on the future presence of US troops in Lithuania could come “in the coming weeks," though he said it is unclear whether announcements will be made before or after the summit.

“The signals we are receiving are positive, but they also ask for a little patience because the broader picture of US troop deployments across Europe is still being put together,” he said.

“Lithuania’s place in that picture may be relatively small, but it is very significant for us. We are simply being asked to wait until decisions are made on the overall deployment, and then we will see where Lithuania fits into it.”

Leaders of all 32 NATO member states are expected to attend the July 7-8 summit in Ankara, where they will discuss defense spending and the evolving role of the US within the alliance.

Last month, US President Donald Trump heavily criticized European allies, expressing disappointment over their lack of support during the war with Iran and demanding absolute loyalty from the alliance.

Trump openly said he would have skipped the summit in Ankara altogether if it were not for his respect for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.