US approves sale of Javelin missiles to Lithuania amid Russia tensions

The US State Department has approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Lithuania in a $125-million deal amid escalating tensions between Russia and the US over Ukraine.

Announcing the potential weapons sale on Tuesday, the US Defense Department further stated that the total package of the missile deal would include 341 of the FGM-148F version of the weapon and 30 command launch units, parts, and technical support.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the likely sale on Tuesday and claimed that the deal would “help Lithuania build its long-term defense capability to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity to meet its national defense needs.”

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally that is an important force for ensuring peace and stability in Europe,” it further added.

According to the statement, major US weapons makers Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies were the prime contractors for the anti-tank missiles. It did not indicate, however, when the Javelins would be delivered to Vilnius.

Washington’s arms sales to the ex-Soviet Baltic state, which is a member of both the US-led NATO military alliance and the European Union (EU), comes amid Moscow’s repeated warnings of a “military response” to potential security threats from the West and its push to expand NATO even closer to the Russian border.

The development came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned of military-technical measures and a tough response if NATO pushed further toward his country’s borders.

Putin: Russia to ‘respond toughly’ to further eastward expansion by NATO

Russian President Vladimir Putin warns of military-technical measures and a tough response if NATO expands further toward Russia

"In case of clearly aggressive policy continued by our Western colleagues, we will take adequate military-technical measures and respond toughly to unfriendly steps," Putin said at a meeting of top generals on Tuesday. "And, I want to emphasize, we have every right to do so, we have every right to take actions designed to ensure the security and sovereignty of Russia."

Putin further insisted that NATO's decision to expand eastward was a miscalculation driven in part by a sense of "euphoria" after the Cold War.

Russia also declared earlier this week that it was critically important for the US to respond to the seeking of security guarantees by Moscow regarding the situation around Ukraine, warning of a possible military action if NATO fails to come up with a political solution to ease its concerns.

Russia pushes US on security guarantees, says military option on Ukraine still likely

Russia has stressed the need for an urgent response from the United States on its security guarantees regarding the situation around Ukraine.

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Monday that Moscow had so far received no response from the United States and underlined that Russia was ready for a military response if NATO kept ignoring Moscow’s security concerns.

"I said that we would find forms to respond, including by military and military-technical means if NATO ignores Moscow’s concerns again," Ryabkov was quoted by Russia’s TASS news agency as saying. 

The Russian Foreign Ministry released last week two draft documents on the provision of legal security guarantees from Washington and NATO, which included a promise that the US-led military alliance would give up any military activity in Eastern Europe and Ukraine. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan announced on Friday that Washington is prepared for dialog with Moscow over its security demands and will present its own concerns.

Russia and the US-led NATO have recently been at odds over Ukraine. Western countries accuse Russia of preparing for an invasion of Ukraine by amassing troops and armaments near the border with that country.

Moscow insists it is entitled to move its military freely within its borders and that it is taking precautionary steps because of increased NATO activity near its territory.

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