Five more NATO Force Integration Units established in Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania will also be officially announced operational tomorrow in Vilnius.
The decision to set up NATO command and control headquarters in Lithuania and five other member states was made at the Wales Summit last year in response to the changed geopolitical environment. This step is part of NATO's package of measures to ensure the security of the Baltic States.
The NATO Force Integration Units are established to facilitate the deployment of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and additional rapid response elements if needed. They will also coordinate allied exercises.
The headquarters in Vilnius will staff 40 military personnel from more than 10 NATO member states. It will be commanded by Colonel (Danish Army) Jakob Søgård Larsen with Lithuanian Lieutenant Colonel (Lithuanian Land Forces) Mindaugas Petkevičius acting as second in command.
The President and the Secretary General will hold a joint press conference after the inauguration ceremony.
