Lithuanian president backs Macron’s idea of EU rapid reaction force

“We have an open interest in investing in European security, in creating an additional rapid reaction force alongside military cooperation that is already being developed,” Grybauskaitė said at a news conference after meeting with her French counterpart in Paris on Monday.

“We, the Baltic states and Lithuania, are ready to directly participate in newly created structures,” the Lithuanian president said.

“We don’t fear that that might overlap NATO. On the contrary, we believe that we must complement NATO, we must be proactive, because NATO’s decision-making is too slow,” Grybauskaitė said.

“Even in reforming NATO, we know that some decisions must have an element of unanimity, and given that Turkey is also becoming a difficult partner, not to mention likely reactions by some countries, it is very important that help comes to us within 24 hours, if needed,” she added.

Grybauskaitė described France or a new rapid reaction forces as capable of providing such rapid assistance and welcomed the French president’s leadership in European security.

According to her, geopolitical issues were dominant at the meeting, and “President Macron’s initiatives, assuming of positive leadership and understanding that Europe must, first of all, defend itself is really clearly visible”.