Today, Minister of National Defence Robertas Kaunas met with Chief of the National Guard Bureau of the United States General Steven S. Nordhaus visiting Lithuania. They discussed further prospects of cooperation with the Pennsylvania National Guard (PANG), bilateral cooperation in the area of defence industry with the U.S., Host Nation Support, and assistance to Ukraine. It was agreed to seek out ways for a more frequent officer erasmus, sharing best practices and strengthening advanced technology expertise of both countries.
“We thank the Pennsylvania National Guard for the long-standing friendship and assistance to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. The U.S. is significantly increasing funding for the National Guard’s State Partnership Program that Lithuania is a part of. In its turn, Lithuania is continuously uncompromisingly sharing the burden of improving security –the Allies welcomed Lithuania’s message of readiness to join the U.S.-led effort with demining capabilities for the Start of Hormuz,” said R. Kaunas.
General Steven S. Nordhaus is the senior officer of the U.S. National Guard and Chief of the National Guard Bureau of the United States. He is in charge of the organisation which brings together over 430 thousand military personnel and serves as the Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for National Guard Matters (ACJCS-NG). He also directly advises on the pertaining matters the President of the United States, Secretary of War and the National Security Council. General underscored at the meeting that Lithuania was a model Ally.
When discussing the transatlantic relations and regional security, Minister R. Kaunas underlined that the United States was strategic partner and Lithuania’s continued effort to further strengthen this partnership.
R. Kaunas expressed a wish to expand the cooperation in counter-drone defence, including emerging technologies, both with the Pennsylvania National Guard and other units of the U.S. Armed Forces. Another topic discussed was the importance of the defence industry: Lithuania and the United States have joined efforts to attract American defence industries companies to Lithuania.
When addressing assistance to Ukraine, Minister underscored that russia remained an existential threat to NATO security and it was necessary to retain the political and economic pressure on the aggressor while also retaining the level of assistance to Ukraine undiminished.
Photo credit: A. Pliadis / MoD
