Asked during the press conference whether it was correct to rely on the information that the deployment of a German Brigade was being reconsidered in Berlin in the light of the growing anti-Semitic forces in Lithuania, Mr Pistorius said he would not comment on the political situation in Lithuania.
„Anti-Semitism is spreading in the world, yes, and in Germany as well. Therefore, we are very much following these trends, and we have to make clear what our opinion is on anti-Semitism.
I will not comment on the political situation in Lithuania. We have a strong stand against anti-Semitism,“ Pistorius said in response to a reporter's question.
Reacting to Russian nuclear blackmail
At the same time, Germany's Défense Minister was also asked about the latest nuclear blackmail by Russian President Vladimir Putin – on Wednesday, Putin announced that as Ukraine seeks to use long-range weapons to attack military targets deep within Russia, he has expanded the grounds for the use of nuclear weapons.
German Defence Minister Pistorius stressed that this is Putin's rhetoric.
„He speaks loudly and spreads his threats; we must not be frightened. We will do what we think is right. He can spread it through his channels, but it will not scare us“, Pistorius stressed.
At the same time, Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas said this primarily shows Putin's fear of Western intentions.
„The most important words are not the ones he said, but when he talks about the new concept, he signals that giving Ukraine long-range strike capability is very important, and he is afraid of it.
That is very important to understand. When he talks about the new concept, he admits, as a matter of principle, that giving the Ukrainians a long-range strike would make things very bad for him. This is a signal to all of us that should be read this way,“ Kasčiūnas stressed.
Agreement reached
On Thursday, German Defence Minister Pistorius visited Lithuania, where he gave a speech to members of the Seimas in the morning. He later met with Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė and Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasčiūnas.
Pistorius's visit came before the ratification of the bilateral agreement between the Lithuanian and German governments on defence cooperation by the Seimas.
The latter agreement, which defines the rights of the German Brigade soldiers, their families and civil servants to be transferred to Lithuania, has already been signed in Berlin by the Ministers of Defence of the two countries, Kasčiūnas and Pistorius, as well as by the Vice-Ministers of Foreign Affairs Jonas Survila and Tobias Lindner.
The document still needs to be ratified by the Lithuanian and German parliaments.
