Minister of National Defence Dovilė Šakalienė has met with Minister of Defence of Norway Tore Onshuus Sandvik conducting a visit to Lithuania. The Ministers have discussed strengthening the bilateral security cooperation, top of the agenda of the upcoming NATO Summit, and other topics.
D. Šakalienė thanked Norway for the close partnership in strengthening defensive capabilities.
“Norway is one of the countries who consistently and reputably share in the strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank. Symbolically, one of the most visible areas of our cooperation is the NASAMS air defence system. We share the view on the scope of the russian threat, as well as of the necessity to give a decisive response. As the NATO Summit is approaching, we must bear in mind that despite the character of the eventual resolution to the war in Ukraine, russia will still remain a lasting threat to the whole of the Alliance. Europe needs to take more responsibility for is security, spend on defence and do so now,” said Minister D. Šakalienė.
Lithuania and Norway signed a Phase 3 NASAMS acquisition contract last October. The Government of Lithuania has just recently approved financing for the advance payment. The equipment is planned to be delivered in 2028.
Minister also underlined that Lithuania was looking forward to –the Norwegian contingent’s integration with the German Brigade Litauen. Over a hundred and a half of Norwegian troops are currently serving with the NATO Multinational Battlegroup.
Discussing the efforts to strengthen the defence industry and capabilities, Minister D. Šakalienė presented the defence industry cluster establishment initiative underway in Lithuania and development plans for a cooperation system between the Armed Forces and the defence industry. The system would not only improve resilience of the state and defence industry but also return a significant amount of the strategic acquisition value to Lithuania via manufacturing, services and technology transfer.
Ministers also discussed regional security and support to Ukraine. D. Šakalienė emphasized that if NATO Allies aimed at a credible deterrence, they needed to strengthen national capabilities, especially on the Eastern flank while also maintaining a steady supply of assistance to Ukraine.
Lithuania and Norway cooperate closely in the area of defence, in the formats of the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF), Northern Group, and the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8). Norway also supports Lithuania in strengthening our air defence. It has deployed three rotations of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states so far and transferred the RBS-70 short-range air defence systems assigned to the Lithuanian Air Force Air Defence Battalion.
Photo credit: A. Pliadis/MoD
