After the meeting in Vilnius the Ministers with delegations went to Rukla to deliver holiday greetings to the rotation of Croatian soldiers deployed in Lithuania as part of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group since December earlier this year.
The Croatian troops have been deployed in Lithuania on the basis of a decision by the Government of Croatia to contribute to NATO eFP Battle Groups in Lithuania and Poland. Currently a company of over 180 infantry troops with Patria fighting vehicles is deployed in Lithuania.
Defence cooperation between Lithuania and Croatia has been intensifying since recent years. Special Forces troops of both countries have been training in joint exercises on a continual basis since 2009. In summer earlier this year Croatian troops took part in the international exercise Iron Wolf 2017 in Lithuania. In the period from 2011 to 2013 four Lithuanian helicopter crews trained in mountainous areas of Croatia to develop skills Lithuania necessary for international operations.
The two countries’ militaries are also connected by multinational deployments experience: in 1994–1996 approx. 90 Lithuanian soldiers obtained experience in the United Nations-led operation UNPROFOR in Croatia. It was the first multinational operation Lithuanian military deployed to after the restoration of independence and armed forces. In 20016-2010 Croatian military contributed to the NATO ISAF Lithuanian-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Ghor Province of Afghanistan.
The both countries also maintain cooperation and share information in instaling artillery systems PzH 2000 both in Lithuanian and Croatian Armed Forces, military peronnel cooperate in the field of war medicine , etc.
