“Support from the Czech Republic is vital for Lithuania, it demonstrates Czech solidarity and resolve to stand together in finding solutions against the security threats in our region,” Minister J.Olekas said at the meeting.
Minister J.Olekas also pointed out the importance of deployment of a rotational Czech company for training in the region, as well as the importance of Czech participation in the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic States, two officers assigned to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Lithuania, and close cooperation between Lithuanian and Czech air forces.
In a discussion over the oncoming NATO Summit in Warsaw Minister J.Olekas pointed out the significance of NATO enhanced forward presence in our region, the need to have multinational rotating battalion groups in each of the Baltic countries, and quick NATO response and reinforcement in the event of a crisis.
Czech-Lithuanian defence cooperation
Particularly intense cooperation between Lithuania and the Czech Republic is developed in air defence area. The Lithuanian and the Czech Air Forces collaborate annually to arrange bilateral Exercise Baltic Eye which involves Czech L-159 aircraft coming to Lithuania to allow Lithuanian aircraft operators enhance their skills. Lithuanian soldiers also improve their knowledge at military education institutions of the Czech Republic.
The Czech Armed Forces took part actively in Exercise Iron Sword organised in Lithuania in 2014 and 2015, and in NATO Article 5 Exercise Steadfast Jazz in 2013. The Czech Air Force provided two air detachments for the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic States (the first one was deployed in 2009).
