BALTIC-2-BLACK:

Monitoring Europe’s Response to Russian Aggression from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea.

THE BALTIC REGION:

Poland to Join European Sky Shield.

Poland’s new government  has announced it will be the latest nation to join the “European Sky Shield Initiative.”

Spearheaded by Germany, in reaction to Russia’s war against Ukraine, the initiative aims to create a European air and missile defense system through the common acquisition of air defense equipment and missiles by European nations.

Warsaw’s move amounts to a major policy shift under the new government, as the previous Cabinet of the right-wing Law and Justice party opposed partaking in the initiative due to its frosty relations with Berlin, according to Defense News.

“We will cooperate as part of the European Sky Shield Initiative,” Tusk said at an April 16 Cabinet meeting, as quoted in a statement released by his office. “It completely does not bother me that the Germans were the main initiators of this initiative.”

Back in 2022, Defence Ministers from 14 NATO members and Finland – before the Nordic nation was admitted to the Western defense bloc in 2023 — signed a Letter of Intent for the development of a “European Sky Shield Initiative.

More countries have since joined. In February, Turkey and Greece announced their intention to join the project, bringing the total number of participating states to 21.

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German Firm to Make Artillery Shells in Lithuania.

German defense contractor Rheinmetall is set to widen it presence in the Baltic region with the construction of an artillery shell factory in Lithuania.

The Lithuanian government and Rheinmetall have signed a memorandum of intent to build a 155mm ammunition plant in Lithuania, the country’s Ministry of Economy and Innovation said in an April 16 statement, Defense News reported.

“This factory will be important for Lithuania, Ukraine and our entire region, in turn, the government will do everything so that it can start operating as soon as possible,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said.

The official warned that Russia would remain the “biggest threat to Europe” for decades to come.

Lithuania’s minister of economy and innovation, Aušrinė Armonaitė, said at a press conference that construction of the plant would begin later this year.