On May 30 Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis met with Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia Irakli Kobakhidze and his delegation who are conducting a visit in Lithuania. The meeting officials discussed challenges in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea regions and defence cooperation of Lithuania and Georgia. Both sides reaffirmed their intent to continue the cooperation in the areas of military training, education and exercises, and concerning cyber security and strategic communication.
Minister of National Defence R. Karoblis reiterated Lithuania’s commitment to strengthening and expanding the partnership of NATO and Georgia — a Lithuanian representative serves as a NATO Military Representative in Georgia and a Lithuanian advisor remains to serve with the NATO-Georgia Joint Training and Evaluation Centre, also, Lithuanian soldiers train in NATO and Georgia’s exercise.
As both countries’ defence cooperation continues, Georgian military personnel will further be invited to study at the courses of the Lithuanian Armed Forces School, Gen Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania, and the Baltic Defence College (BALTDEFCOL). Lithuanian soldiers are deployed to military exercises in Georgia and Georgian troops are training in exercises in Lithuania. Georgian soldiers will be training in Lithuania as soon as June at international Exercise Flaming Sword 2019.
The meeting also addressed the interest of Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova to continue unifying efforts in order to strengthen mutual cooperation and deepen the ties with the European Union seeking the prospect of EU membership. Lithuania support the prospect for the said three associate EU partners. The Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania is developing cooperation with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova in strategic communication, cyber security and participation in multinational operations in the context of the European Union Eastern Partnership Programme.
Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia I. Kobakhidze and his delegation are on a visit in Lithuania on May 29–31. The guests have already met with Speaker of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Viktoras Pranckietis, Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius, Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis. On May 31 they will take part in the Eastern Partnership Conference where possibilities will be considered for the three associate partners of the European Union, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, to be given the prospect of EU membership during the period of Poland’s, Lithuania’s, and Latvia’s Presidencies of the Council of the European Union in 2025–2028.
Defence cooperation of Lithuania and Georgia
Lithuania and Georgia actively cooperate in military area. Georgian representatives are studying at the General Jonas Žematis Military Academy of Lithuania, Lithuanian Armed Forces School, Military Medical Service, Baltic Defence College in Estonia. High-level visits and academic exchange of English language students and teachers of Lithuanian and Georgian military academies are arranged. Lithuania provides consultations for Georgian colleagues on cyber security and strategic communication, Georgian troops train in Lithuania and Lithuanian – in Georgia.. Lithuania also supports implementation of projects of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package: since 2015 Lithuania and other Nordic and Baltic countries have been helping with the creation of the NATO-Georgia joint Training and Assessment Centre.
Photo credits: Giedrė Maksimovicz (MoD)