On September 17 President of the Republic of Lithuania HE Gitanas Nausėda accompanied by Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis, Chief of Defence of Lithuania Major General Valdemaras Rupšys visited soldiers of Rukla Garrison and the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group (NATO eFP BG) deployed in Lithuania for deterrence and defence purposes. The NATO eFP BG has been deployed in Lithuania Wolf since 2017, it is now integrated into the Lithuanian Armed Forces Mechanised Infantry Brigade Iron.
The core of the NATO eFP BG is made up by German military personnel, it is also manned by Belgian, Czech, Dutch and Norwegian military and one representative of Iceland.
Soldiers of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the NATO eFP BG demonstrated to the Head of State and leaders of national defence during their visit to Gaižiūnai Training Area a tactical interoperability training event and their equipment.
“We are grateful to Germany for its leadership in ensuring the security of the entire Europe and its commitment to lead the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion in Lithuania, which has become an integral part of our defence system. These forces deployed in Lithuania demonstrate a strong solidarity among the members of the Alliance by helping to ensure the security of Lithuania, the region and the Alliance”, the President said after observing the exercise
Over 8 thousand troops from 9 NATO allies have already rotated to the NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania over more than two years.
Soldiers of the NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania constantly and actively train and take part in all major exercises in Lithuania during the deployment. The multinational unit has settled and established itself over the two years of presence in Lithuania: NATO allies started excellent relations with our soldiers, as well as with local communities, schools, municipal administrations. They participate actively in various cultural and social projects, commemorations of historical and state holidays of Lithuania.
According to a public opinion poll, 76% of respondents believe that the NATO presence helps to deter hostile states.
The NATO eFP Battalion Battle Group Lithuania is a direct response to aggressive provocative actions of Russia in the vicinity of NATO borders which have led to deterioration of stability and security and predictability of the security situation, and changes in the security environment . The decision to deploy NATO eFP Battalion Battle Groups along the eastern NATO border was taken in July 2016 at the NATO Summit in Warsaw by request of the Baltic States and Poland.
https://www.facebook.com/eFPLithuania/
Photo credits: Ieva Budzeikaitė/Lithuanian Armed Forces
