The Lithuanian authorities proposed to maximally strengthen military cooperation between the countries of the European Union, creating a kind of "military Schengen". This will allow armies of different countries in the case of a threat from outside to move freely across the territories of neighboring states. Such a project is allegedly ready to support the majority of NATO and EU members.

In Tallinn, September 6-7, a meeting of the defense ministers of the European Union. During the summit, Lithuanian Defense Minister Raymundas Caroblis proposed opening state borders for the allied armies, the website of the Lithuanian Defense Ministry said..

The official explained that his country stands for a radical strengthening of cooperation in the field of defense of the EU. "Together with the Benelux countries, Finland and Estonia, we propose to develop a military Schengen project within PESCO (a permanent structured military cooperation of the EU countries), which will simplify the movement of troops across Europe," said Caroblis.

The minister added that "a large number of countries" support the project, and its implementation is important for both the EU and NATO, since this will simplify investment in the creation of military infrastructure. "Constant cooperation should contribute to increasing defense spending in the European Union and creating real defense capabilities in Europe," concluded Caroblis.

Official authorities of the EU and NATO have not reacted to the proposal of the Lithuanian minister. Meanwhile, for outsiders, this approach causes a lot of objections.

Firstly, not all European countries will agree to open the borders for foreign troops in favor of collective defense and thereby finally give up national sovereignty.

Secondly, every independent state should have its own defense facilities to protect national interests and its own citizens, and therefore the words about the common defense infrastructure are nothing more than populism.

Thirdly, the "military Schengen", of course, will help small countries (such as Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia) reduce the costs of their own defense. However, foreign troops will defend on their territory not their national interests, but the interests of their own taxpayers. And they will obey orders only of their own generals, and not of Lithuanian or Latvian commanders.

Fourthly, statements that such a project is beneficial to most NATO countries is a clear exaggeration. It can be interesting only to Americans, and even then with a stretch: US President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated that his country will no longer pay the military expenses of other countries of the alliance.

In fact, the penetration of armies of major powers (the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany) into small European countries will mean total and eternal occupation of these republics. So it will be very difficult for politicians to convince their own citizens that this was done to prevent the mythical occupation by the "Eastern aggressor".