NATO defence ministers agreed to hold a major live excercise in 2015
On February 21 NATO Defence Ministers agreed during a ministerial meeting in Brussels that lessons of interoperability learned in NATO’s operations in the recent years can be preserved through more ambitious goals of training and exercises. “Military personnel of the Alliance acquired a unique experience of interoperability in the joint operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan. A periodical verification of these abilities through organisation of wide scope and varied scenarios-based exercises would not only allow to maintain the experience acquired but also to enhance NATO as a reliable and strong organisation”, Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas said.
At the meeting the Ministers also agreed to hold a major exercise in 2015, and draw up a comprehensive programme of training and exercises for the period 2015-2020.
They also agreed to continue building on the NATO Response Force (NRF) as a quick-reaction instrument and an excellent school of cooperation.
In the evening session the Minister addressed the issue of defence financing in strong terms. They accentuated that NATO was not a club where every member could enjoy all the conveniences but paid only as much as they preferred. Minister of National Defence J.Olekas underlined the need for an efficient employment of defence budgets and presented the decision of Lithuania’s political parties to gradually increase national defence budget.
