It has been hundred years since Lithuania put forth the firm resolve to launch ties with the Nordic countries, it was voiced by Chair of the State Council and future first president of Lithuania Antanas Smetona in Copenhagen in 1919. The Western democracy was the role model for the state and the future and Denmark was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Lithuania de jure. Lithuania marks the centenary of cooperation with Denmark and the 30th anniversary of cooperation between the militaries these days. Many things have changed over that time, however, one thing has not for certain: Denmark still stands as one of our closest allies.
“On this day, as we speak, our military personnel are training in Denmark getting ready to deploy to Iraq together with the Danish. A Danish NATO Air Policing Mission rotation is patrolling the Baltic skies for the eighth time. A Danish officer heads the NATO Force Integration Unit operating in Lithuania that would facilitate deployment of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force if needed. We are extremely grateful for all of it. Everything could have been very different had not Denmark taken on assisting us 30 years ago. We are particularly appreciative of Denmark’s refusal to ever legitimize the Soviet annexation of Lithuania,” Minister of National Defence Arvydas Anušauskas said at a Conference hosted by Vilnius University to mark the centenary of relations.
According to Minister, we are bound together by one region and the same threat perception, therefore we have always been support by Denmark since our very first aspiration –to build national armed forces from zero.
“Denmark was more than a guide to NATO, it was also a patron on our way to European Union membership. It a shared past that leads to a shared future. I am delighted about the military and political relations between Lithuania and Denmark being the strongest they have ever been,” said Minister.
Denmark has been rendering consistent political support, practical assistance and help in training military personnel to Lithuania since the beginning of the formation of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Denmark was the first country Lithuania deployed to multinational operations with, specifically, Lithuania’s first multinational deployment, UNPROFOR in Croatia, with an approx. 90-strong contingent in composition of the Danish Battalion in 1994-1996. Other multinational cooperation completed in cooperation with Denmark were in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the autumn later this year a Lithuanian Armed Forces platoon will deploy to the Danish-led NATO Mission Iraq to provide force protection for NATO trainers alongside Danish colleagues.
Photo credits: MoD/Alfredas Pliadis, MoD archive
