On October 23 leadership of the Ministries of Defence and the Armed Forces of Belgium, Lithuania and Luxembourg discussed relevant issues of NATO and the European Union and prospects of bilateral cooperation at a meeting at the Ministry of National Defence. Delegations led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius, Vice Minister of National Defence Antanas Valys and Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas met with the guests.
"We have to work together to implement the security assurance measures agreed at the NATO Summit in Wales and to prepare properly for the Summit in Warsaw," Minister L.Linkevičius said at the meeting with Belgium's Minister of Defence Steven H. M. Vandeput and Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Étienne Schneider.
Minister L. Linkevičius also thanked Belgium for the active participation in the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states and for posting an officer to the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) in Lithuania. Minister thanked Luxembourg for the country's contribution to the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states. Luxembourg provides financial support that compensates the costs incurred to the countries deploying to the mission.
Ministers addressed the run-up for the NATO Summit in Warsaw and adaptation of the Alliance in the face of threats from east and south at the official meetings. Chiefs of Defence focused on the security situation, information security threats in the region and deployment to international operations and standbys.
Lt Gen J. V. Žukas, Chief of Defence of Belgium General Gérard Van Caelenberge and Chief of Staff of Luxembourg General Romain Mancinelli discussed deployment of troops in joint exercises in Lithuania. Roughly 300 soldiers from Belgium and Luxembourg are training in Exercise Baltic Piranha throughout October.
"I invited Chief of Defence of Belgium and Chief of Staff of Luxembourg to continue actively contributing land and air forces to the assurance measures in our region," Chief of Defence of Lithuania said.
On the first of the visit the guests observed Exercise Baltic Piranha in Jonava and at Gaižiūnai Training Area and met with military personnel from Belgium and Luxembourg training in the exercise.
Lithuania's cooperation with Belgium and Luxembourg
Belgium is a regular participant of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states, the country was the first NATO ally to provide the a rotation of the mission in 2004 when Lithuania accessed NATO and has already carried out three rotations from Šiauliai Air Base since then. Luxembourg provides financial support to the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.
Armed forces of Belgium and Lithuania develop active cooperation in training fighter pilots and arranging combat search and rescue courses for Lithuanian military personnel. The Belgian Navy are an active participant of international mine countermeasures operations Open Spirit in the Baltic Sea. Belgian is also going to assign one officer to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Lithuania.
The Armed Forces of Luxembourg contributed to the development of the Lithuanian military capabilities in 2013 by donating 20 HMMWV all-terrain vehicles. A Reconnaissance Platoon from Luxembourg took part in international NATO Exercise Iron Sword in Lithuania in 2014.
