Upon completion of the active deployment phase with NATO Response Force, Lithuanian Naval Ship LNS Jotvingis, a flag ship of Standing NATO Mine Counter Measures Group One (SNMCMG1), returned to Klaipėda, Lithuania, on 17 December. Lithuanian Navy Officer Commander Giedrius Premeneckas will continue to command SNMCMG1 from this ship up to the end of January 2015.

The five NATO ships assigned to Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Group ONE (SNMCMG1) arrived in Klaipėda in the evening of May 1 for a scheduled port visit during the Group’s deployment to the Baltic to enhance maritime security and NATO’s readiness in the region.

While continuing the working visit to the United States on 29 April, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius took part in the Atlantic Council’s conference dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the enlargement of the EU and NATO, and met with high-ranking U.S. officials to discuss security situation in Eastern Europe, the need to strengthen the region’s energy independence and to be better informed about inhabitants of Eastern Partnership countries, as well as advantages of rapprochement with Europe.

On April 30 a formal rotation ceremony of air contingents deployed on the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission will take place at the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai. Following a four-month rotation and an augmentation the United States’ Air Contingent will be replaced by Polish military with four Mig-29 fighter jets. Their mission, too, will be strengthened by 4 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets contributed by the United Kingdom.