“Next year our major focus in the area of multinational operations will be on training the Armed Forces of Ukraine in various formats. We will also continue the engagement in NATO, EU and Allied coalitions-led multinational operations,” says Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas.
Lithuania will increase the maximum mandated number of National Defence System civilian and military personnel committed to the Military Training Mission for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2024 from 60 to 100.
Besides the 12 operations approved by the previous mandate, up to 10 civilian and military personnel are additionally committed for multinational operations led or conducted by the Allies in the Indo-Pacific as long as these align with the UN principles and objectives, international agreements endorsed by Lithuania or other norms of international law.
Maximum numbers of National Defence System civilian and military personnel for other multinational operations remain unchanged: up to 50 to the NATO Mission Iraq (NMI), up to 11 to the EU Training Mission Mali, European Training Mission in Central African Republic and the European Union Training Mission in Mozambique, up to 30 and 20 to the EU Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) – Operation ATALANTA and Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI respectively, up to 40 to the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). Up to 5 Lithuanians will be available for contribution to the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR), up to 40 civilian and military personnel of the National Defence System will be available for the United States-led Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, up to 5 – for the U.S.-initiated effort in the Strait of Hormuz, and the maximum of 25 – for the United Kingdom-led Operation Interflex.
It should be noted that the mandate approved by the Seimas sets out limit numbers of military and civilian personnel of the National Defence System to be contributed to concrete multinational operations, while factual contributions will depend on a spectrum of circumstances, such as the capabilities and other commitments of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, requirement in the concrete operation and security situation in the country the Lithuanian personnel is deployed to, capacity of the Allies to integrate Lithuanian troops into their contingents.
