Lithuania says 'critically important' to strengthen Baltic states with U.S. troops

FILE PHOTO: Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda arrives for an European Union Summit with all 27 EU leaders at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium December 16, 2021. Kenzo Tribouillard/Pool via REUTERS

VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania's president called for boosting the security of the Baltic states with U.S. troops, after meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Vilnius on Saturday.

"The Russian military buildup at the eastern NATO border is changing the security situation," President Gitanas Nauseda said in a statement published after the meeting.