Italian PM makes unannounced visit to Siauliai

VILNIUS – Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday visited Siauliai, Lithuania’s fourth-largest city that hosts the Lithuanian Air Force Base.

In Siauliai, Meloni visited an Italian military contingent deployed as part of NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission to safeguard the airspace of the Baltic countries, the Italian government reported.

Her visit was not announced in advance.

The politician said she had come to the air base in Lithuania to convey greetings to the troops and thanks of the Italian people for security.

“The homeland is a mother, that mother wants to say thank you" because it "appreciates and recognizes the extraordinary sacrifices you make, the value those sacrifices bestow and produce for your nation,” Meloni said during her visit to the air base in Siauliai.

The Italian Air Force personnel with Eurofighter Typhoons have been on the watch for the Baltic airspace since late July. In late November, Italy’s effort were bolstered by the French Air Force flying the Rafale fighter jets.

NATO member countries have taken turns safeguarding Baltic airspace since Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined the Alliance back in 2004.