On May 13 Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis presented the National Defence System Medal of Merit to former Minister of Defence of Belgium Steven Vandeput at a ceremony at the Embassy of Lithuania in Brussels. The medal has been bestowed for personal contribution to the development of the Lithuanian-Belgian defence cooperation.
“Lithuania is extremely grateful to Belgium for the unity demonstrated and support extended to strengthening Lithuania’s security and defence. Our joint efforts helped us achieve the historical decision to send forces to the eastern flank of NATO at the NATO Summit in Warsaw. It has contributed significantly to a better resilience of Lithuania and the entire NATO. I thank you for your personal contribution to a stronger security of all of us,” Minister R.Karoblis said in the ceremony.
S. Vandeput was the Minister of Defence of Belgium in 2014-2018. During the period defence cooperation of Lithuania and Belgium became particularly intense. In late January 2017 a group of Belgian soldiers deployed to Lithuania to be the first one to join the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group formed in Lithuania.
Belgium is an active participant of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states, it joined the effort in the Lithuanian Air Force Šiauliai Airbase from day one of Lithuania’s NATO membership. The country has already deployed four rotations of the mission to patrol the Baltic airspace since 2004. The Belgian Armed Forces also participate actively in military exercises and other military events in Lithuania.
Also, Belgium has a representative since 2016 in the NATO Force Integration Unit (NFIU) inaugurated in Lithuania in 2015.
In early 2019 S. Vandeput was elected the mayor of the city of Hasselt.
