News

NATO Defence Ministers agreed on establishing international NATO command and control units in Lithuania and another five Eastern European countries at the meeting on February 5 in Brussels. NATO will establish the units as soon as this year. These will serve a direct link between national forces, allied forces deployed in Lithuania and the Alliance chain of command.

“All the work in preparation for the establishment of a NATO headquarters in Lithuania has been done. In the nearest while NATO will begin the establishing procedure. The element will be a NATO tool which will help ensure speedy deployment of allied forces to our country, readiness for collective defence, and will support allied forces already on the ground,” Minister J.Olekas underscored.

At the meeting in Brussels the NATO Defence Ministers also took a decision on the formation of a Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF), or Spearhead Force. The new force primarily developed for collective defence purposes will enhance the Alliance’s capabilities to respond to the emerging threats. The Spearhead Force will be made up of elements of the all the armed services (land, air, naval and special forces) held at high readiness. A part of the force will maintain readiness to provide response within 2 to 3 day-notice. The enhancement of the NATO Response Force has begun this year with the increase of readiness of forces on duty and intense training ongoing. The new forces is planned to reach full operational capability in 2016.

“We are contributing our special operations forces and other capabilities to the enhancement of the NATO Response Force. The capabilities will train in the NATO Response Force exercise in our region in July,” Minister J.Olekas said.

While in Brussels, Minister of National Defence J.Olekas discussed the U.S. military presence in Lithuania at a meeting with Commander, U.S. European Command, General Philip M. Breedlove. The Lithuanian Defence Minister thanked for the weighty United States’ input into Lithuania’s security. “We had a threat to the security of our country emerging a year ago, and the United States took an immediate decision to strengthen the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission and deploying a ground unit. We have a persistent U.S. military presence in our country and we are discussing the possibilities to continue enhancing this presence,” Minister J.Olekas said after the meeting with the U.S. General.

Also, at a meeting with Minister of Defence of Georgia Mindia Janelidze Lithuanian Minister J.Olekas reiterated Lithuania’s support to Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations and that Lithuania would contribute to the cooperation package NATO had approved for Georgia. Lithuania will post up to two officers and will take part in the Nordic-Baltic Initiative.

PR adviser to the Minister of National Defence Vaidotas Linkus, office phone no. 00370 5 2735 520, mobile phone no. 00370 620 81 779.

Photo: courtesy of NATO