During a phone call with Minister of Defence of Armenia Davit Tonoyan on July 1 Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis was thanked by for the assistance Lithuania had rendered to Armenia in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Minister of National Defence R. Karoblis expressed hope that the aid received from Lithuania will help Armenia overcome the challenge.
Lithuania sent two flight of humanitarian assistance to Armenia when the coronavirus pandemic began. On May 14 Spartan of the Lithuanian Air Force took a batch of personal protective equipment made in Lithuania to Armenia, Moldova, and Georgia. On June 11 Lithuania also sent to Armenia 11 medical experts, including two members of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The assistance was designed to help Armenia with handling the emergency situation and taking care of COVID-19 patients.
Ministers also discussed bilateral cooperation. R. Karoblis pointed out that joint initiatives will be continued on the basis of the COVID-19 situation.
“We are assessing the possibilities to continue bilateral events in the autumn; if they are resumed, Armenian students will be welcome to attend courses in Lithuania. We will work to carry cancelled events in the nearest future with additional focus on NCO reform,” Minister R. Karoblis said.
Lithuania provides Armenia assistance in military training and education, familiarises the country with our own experience of armed forces reform. Lithuania with the NATO Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) assists Armenia in its NCO system reform, to which end a visit by the Deputy Chief of Defence of Armenia was held to Lithuania in February 2019 to meet with the Chief of the Defence Staff and other representatives of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
Photo credits: Sgt Spc Lukas Tamošiūnos; MoD archive (medical supplies loaded onto the Spartan aircraft of the Lithuanian Armed Forces before the flight to Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova).
