Minister J.Olekas signed a Protocol of Intent on the establishment of Joint Expeditionary Force
On September 4 Defence Ministers of Estonia, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway attending the NATO Summit Wales 2014 signed a Protocol of Intent on the establishment of a Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
This is a substantial step of seven NATO member states seeking to ensure that Lithuania and Europe are secure as a response to the Ukraine crisis,” Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas said after signing the document.
The division-sized (at least 10,000 personnel) force to be formed on the basis of the document endorsed will be capable of rapid deployment in any region necessary in response to security crises of any nature, and will attend regular exercises, including in our region. The force will be applicable for Article 5 (collective defence) operations, i.e. in case of aggression against any NATO member state.
The force will incorporate air, naval units and ground troops of the signatory nations commanded from a headquarters based in the United Kingdom. The participating countries will assign JEF officers and specialist troops and units.
On September 4-5 Minister of National Defence Juozas Olekas and Chief of Defence Major General Jonas Vytautas Žukas are attending the NATO Summit Wales 2014.
