On March 21 leadership of the National Defence System discussed the upcoming meeting of the Presidents of the United States and the three Baltic states, US support in strengthening the security in the region, and Lithuania’s efforts to strengthen defence capabilities, at a meeting with Dr Richard Hooker, US National Security Council’s Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Europe and Russia. Increasing security in international arena was also discussed.
Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis thanked Dr R. Hooker and underscored the importance of the United States’ support in developing our defence capabilities. “The United States is an irreplaceable guarantor of our security. Continuous US presence in the region is an irreplaceable element of the provision of our security,” Minister R.Karoblis said.
The United States is Lithuania’s strategic partner and key ally in ensuring our security. The United States participates actively in the implementation of assurance measures in the Baltic states thus strengthening regional security and stability.
The United States deployed land companies in the Baltic states and Eastern Europe immediately after the Russian aggression in Ukraine in 2014. The units were training here rotationally, as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve of the US Army in the eastern part of the Alliance, until last September.
The United States contributes a battalion-sized combat group (deployed to Poland) to the NATO enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic states and Poland as of 2017.
US supports enhancement of air defence capabilities in the region, takes up the role of leadership and arranges various military exercise in the Baltic states, and contributes capabilities ti the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states.
kam.lt
