The meeting also addressed the approaching National Defence Minister’s visit to Poland to the celebration of the second anniversary of the trilateral LITPOLUKRBRIG brigade where the unit will also be named after Lithuania’s Great Hetman Konstantinas Ostrogiškis. The event will take place at the Lublin Castle on October 5.
Lithuanian-Polish defence cooperation
Defence cooperation with Poland is crucial for the security of both, Lithuania and the region. Lithuania has been intensely developing relations with Poland in military area since 1993.
Poland is one of the most active contributors to the NATO Air Policing Mission. Since 2005, already seven Polish rotations have been deployed to the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai.
Lithuanian and Polish militaries are constantly developing cooperation at various levels of staffs, military education institutions and military units. After years of cooperation, Lithuania and Poland established a joint brigade, LITPOLUKRBRIG with Ukraine in 2014. Once it was done, the brigade has become the most important instrument for defence cooperation in the region.
Lithuania and Poland cooperate successfully in NATO defence planning regarding Article 5 capabilities, also, NATO exercise sin the region. Steadfast Jazz, the most important NATO exercise conducted according to Article 5 scenario took place successfully in Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. Poland has been participating in annual international exercises in Lithuania, such as Maple Arch, Jackal Stone, Baltops, etc., since 1995 too.
Lithuania has been taking part in the activities of the NATO Multinational Corps Northeast based in Poland since 2003. It is the closest NATO military HQ to Lithuania (based in Szczecin), it was deployed to Afghanistan twice.
Representatives of Poland’s military cartography services constantly attend the annual Baltic Military Cartography Conference in Lithuania every year.
