It’s crazy because it’s a gross misrepresentation of both the tone and the intent of the Lithuanian minister’s statement.

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys recently gave an interview with the Swiss newspaper Neue Zurcher Zeitung about the threat posed by Russia and Belarus. He advocated a robust deterrent by NATO.

Asked about neighboring Kaliningrad, he said: “We must show the Russians that we can penetrate the small fortress they have built in Kaliningrad. NATO has the means to raze the Russian air defence and missile bases there to the ground in an emergency.”

So, to clarify:

• Russia’s neighbors continue to be extremely concerned about Russian adventurism and expansionism, as a direct result of Russia’s own actions
• The minister emphasizes the importance of a credible military response to a hostile action. The minister is *not, in any way, shape, or form recommending, encouraging, or endorsing a first strike on Kaliningrad, because that would be unbelievably stupid for a litany of reasons.
• NATO A5 specifically does not apply in the case of a member state instigating a conflict.

And to clarify your position:

• do you think that any country other than Russia is able to have security concerns about their neighbors? Or is only Russia allowed to do that, and anything any other country says is “western propaganda”?