“Lithuania and France enjoy a more intense and solid cooperation than ever before. We have voiced expectations and we have received support – instruments will be developed to strengthen the security of the European Union borders during France’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union,” says Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas after having met with top security and defence officials of France during his formal visit Monday. The meetings focussed substantially on the hybrid aggression of the Belarusian regime, according to Minister, everyone he met in France expressed thorough support and solidarity with Lithuania and Poland.
Meeting with Minister for the Armed Forces of France Florence Parly was the main event on the visit agenda in Paris. A. Anušauskas conveyed the gratitude for the assistance France rendered to strengthen the Baltic region security, and for helping to manage the crisis caused by the irregular migration surge from Belarus. The officials also discussed concrete new measures for countering the Belarusian hybrid attack and assistance to constructions of a physical barrier.
In Paris, Minister A. Anušauskas also had substantial discussions with Alice Rufo, advisor for strategic affairs to President Emmanuel Macron, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the French National Assembly Jean-Louis Bourlanges, and Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces of the French Senate Christian Cambon.
One of the themes addressed at the meetings was the potential Lithuanian contribution to the French-led multinational Task Force Takuba in Mali , as well as participation in other operations in the Sahel. A. Anušauskas confirmed that political agreement was reached in Lithuania to join the operation in Mali with a military contribution: if the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania approves the most recent mandate, up to 30 Lithuanian National Defence System military and civilian personnel, as well as basic operational capabilities, will be available for deployment to Task Force Takuba.
“Lithuania and France share a number of important topics that need a discussion and joint solutions. Contribution to multinational operations is one of the areas that Lithuania and France have much common grounds in. The French leadership in the Sahel matters to us – it matters to the entire Europe. You have our political and also practical support,” said A. Anušauskas. According to him, Lithuania will continue contributing to the United Nations Operation MINUSMA in Mali and the European Union Training Mission in Mali for at least several years to come as well.
France is an important ally to Lithuania in security and defence. The French Air Force has carried out eight rotations of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states to date, the French military are actively involved in the activity of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Lithuania and military exercises with Lithuanian troops.
