“NATO enhanced Forward Presence is a perfect practical example of the unity of the Alliance. By contributing troops to the forward presence mission our Allies demonstrate commitments to collective obligations and security of the Baltic countries. Alongside the Air Policing and the NATO Force Integration Unit, the eFP sends a strong message to our adversaries: NATO is indivisible, and the key rule of unity when all allies stand for one is viable and intact,” Vice Minister of National Defence Vytautas Umbrasas said at the ceremony.
Vice Minister of National Defence V. Umbrasas thanked outgoing Commander Lt Col P. Papenbroock for an excellent job and wished luck in continuing the activities to Lt Col R. Habel who is assuming the command of the thousand-strong battle group. “On our behalf, I would like to stress that Lithuania will continue the necessary support to and cooperation with the battle group,”’ he said.
Vice Minister also welcomed to the incoming rotations of German, Dutch, Belgian, Czech and Norwegian troops taking the baton of the NATO mission in Lithuania and wished luck in their service. Iceland is represented in the Battle Group by a civilian expert.
Deployed at the Training Regiment in Rukla since the beginning of 2017, the multinational battle group is integrated into the Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron Wolf of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Over 8 thousand troops from 9 NATO allies have already rotated to form the NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania over the period of time of more than two years since 2017.
Soldiers of the NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania constantly and actively train and take part in all major exercises in Lithuania during the deployment. The multinational unit has settled and established itself over the two years of presence in Lithuania: NATO allies started excellent relations with our soldiers, as well as with local communities, schools, municipal administrations. They participate actively in various cultural and social projects, commemorations of historical and state holidays of Lithuania.
According to a public opinion poll, 76% of respondents believe that the NATO presence helps to deter hostile states.
The NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania is a direct response to aggressive provocative actions of Russia in the vicinity of NATO borders which have led to deterioration of stability and security and predictability of the security situation, and changes in the security environment . The decision to deploy NATO eFP Battalion Battle Groups along the eastern NATO border was taken in July 2016 at the NATO Summit in Warsaw by request of the Baltic States and Poland.
