On May 15-16 Chief of Defence of Lithuania Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Žukas is attending meetings of the European Union and the NATO Military Committees in Brussels, Belgium.
On May 15 Chiefs of Defence of EU countries will meet at the EU Council HQ and discuss implementation of the EU Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy, EU cooperation with NATO and the UN, EU military operations, training missions and development of military capabilities chaired by General Mikhail.
On May 16 the 179th meetings of the NATO Military Committee will take place at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Under the chairmanship of General Petr Pavel NATO Chiefs of Defence will address topical aspects of NATO strategic direction west, including NATO training and capacity building mission in Iraq, implementation of deterrence, readiness for collective defence, and adaptation of the Alliance.
European Union Military Committee is the most senior EU military institution comprising Chiefs of Defence of the EU countries. The body leads all European military activities, primarily in the area of planning and completing Common Security and Defence Policy and developing military capabilities. The Committee also provides recommendations on military issues to the EU Political and Security Committee which shapes the Foreign and Security Policy. EU Chiefs of Defence convene as the EU Military Committee in Brussels twice a year.
The Military Committee (MC) is NATO's highest structure of military command subordinate to the North Atlantic Council, Defence Planning Committee and Nuclear Planning Group. It takes strategic-level military decisions and forms military advice to the North Atlantic Council, the political decision-making body. At the highest level the MC is comprised of NATO countries' Chiefs of Defence while daily activities are carried out by their military representatives. Chiefs of Defence sessions normally take place three times per year, two in Brussels and one - in one of the NATO states on a rotational basis.
Photo credits: Sgt Spc Ieva Budzeikaitė
Spokesperson for the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major Mindaugas Neimontas
+370 5 278 5091, +370 682 25359, mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
