On February 25-26 General Tom Middendorp, Chief of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands conducted a formal visit in Vilnius. On February 26 the guest met with Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major General Jonas Vytautas Žukas, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Lithuania Andrius Krivas, other representatives of the Lithuanian national defence system and the Lithuanian Armed Forces, and paid a visit to the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence operating in Vilnius. According to the General, his visit is not a ceremonial event, its purpose is to deliberate upon highly specific security issues.
The Chief of Defence of Lithuania briefed General Middendorp on the security situation in the region, the response it had brought about in the Lithuanian defence system and perspectives of development of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The meeting Generals also discussed the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) to be established in Lithuania as soon as 2015 and the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force ( VJTF ). The Lithuanian and Dutch Chiefs of Defence also talked over the possibilities for Lithuania to procure certain weaponry from or together with the Royal Netherlands Armed Forces, and other topics.
"The Netherlands wants to be in the first rows when it comes to defence of the Alliance," General Middendorp underlined at the meeting with the Chief of Defence of Lithuania. He also expressed support to the concerns in Lithuania and other Eastern European allies over the security situation in the region and underscored that the Netherlands would resort to any measures necessary to enhance NATO allies' security. The guest pointed out the determination of his country's armed forces to make a significant contribution to the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force as soon as this year as an example, i.e. to commit a brigade-sized unit.
General Žukas thanked his Dutch counterpart for the opportunity the Netherlands was providing for Lithuanian Stinger anti-aircraft systems operators to improve qualification in the Netherlands and expressed a hope that Lithuania would not only host the scheduled Dutch NATO Air Policing contingent in 2017 but also - the country's ground forces training in Lithuania before that date.
"Alliance solidarity, just like actual response, is key to our determination to act immediately. It would be a mistake to think that doing nothing in Eastern Europe in terms of deterrence would do any good for regional security situation in the future," General Žukas said to the guest inviting him to contribute rotating elements of the Dutch armed forces to combined training in Lithuania.
The Royal Netherlands Armed Forces and the Lithuanian Armed Forces partner for many years. The Lithuanian Armed Forces procured various types of combat and special-purpose materiel from the Netherlands, both countries' military personnel were many times deployed together to various multinational exercises in Lithuania and other countries, air personnel and assets of the Netherlands Royal Air Force conducted the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission in 2005, etc.
Spokesperson to the Chief of Defence of Lithuania Captain Mindaugas Neimontas
Phone no. 00370 5 278 5091, mobile phone no. 00370 682 25359, email: mindaugas.neimontas@mil.lt
