Wednesday, Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas, Chief of Defence Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys and representatives of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces met with Commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) General R.D. Clarke on a visit in Lithuania.
Gen R.D. Clarke is visiting Lithuania together with Commander of the Special Operations Command Europe (SACEUR) Maj Gen David H. Tabor. The meetings addressed cooperation between the Lithuanian and the U.S. Special Operations Forces, security situation in the region, joint actions in Ukraine, and participation in international operations.
A. Anušauskas and Lt Gen V. Rupšys thanked Gen R.D. Clarke for the longstanding close partnership with the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces, developed since 2005.
“I have extended gratitude personally to General Clarke for the support to our security, assistance in developing capabilities of the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces and the continuous presence in Lithuania since 2015. The U.S. Special Operations Forces were among the first to come to Lithuania in the wake of the Russian aggression against Ukraine,” sad Minister of National Defence A. Anušauskas and stressed that the United States was Lithuania’s key ally in ensuring deterrence and defence in the region.
“I cordially thank the U.S. Special Operations Forces for the sustained presence in Lithuania and the continuous cooperation with the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces which has been going on for 15 years. This force has a critical role, particularly at the outset of the crisis, it is also highly specific, and therefore requires special and all-round training. Friendship with the American representatives, experience sharing, joint exercises and tasks are helping our soldiers to maintain and enhance their ability to execute special operations independently and jointly with allies, on the Lithuanian soil and abroad. At the meeting, we have discussed the present and potential international operations and focussed greatly on the assistance to Ukraine and joint actions on ensuring the assistance,” said Lt Gen V. Rupšys.
“I thank Minister Anušauskas and Lt Gen Rupšys for hosting us in Vilnius and the opportunity to discuss our shared security interests. We deeply appreciate the relationship with Lithuania. Lithuania has been a committed partner with the United States and a committed NATO ally, and the Lithuanian Special Operations Forces are some of the best in the world. We appreciate Lithuania’s willingness to counter the evolving security threats – the joint efforts of our both Special Operations Forces enhance the critical force interoperability which furthers the joint efforts to ensure security in Europe,” said Gen R.D. Clarke.
The United States strengthens regional security not just by its presence but also by assistance to the development of military infrastructure in Lithuania and contribution to the efforts to strengthen combat capabilities. In order to ensure conditions for the persistent allied presence in Lithuania, the Ministry of National Defence works on further enhancement of the Host Nation Support and training opportunities.
Photo credits: Sgt Spc 1st Class Ieva Budzeikaitė/ Giedrė Maksimovicz-Alkema.
