The NATO Military Committee session in Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium) was also attended by partners from Africa, Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. During the elven sessions of the meeting the focus was placed the challenges in Ukraine and the Indo-Pacific. On the margins the delegation of Chief of Defence General Raimundas Vaikšnoras met with Chiefs of Defence of Australia, Belgium, Japan, France, Sweden and Switzerland during the breaks between the sessions.
In the keynote address beginning the NATO Military Committee meeting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte invited the Allies to shift to a wartime mindset. The following sessions were chaired by NATO MC Chair Admiral Rob Bauer.
Chief of Defence of Ukraine General Oleksandr Syrskyi presented the latest battlefield developments, the Victory Plan laying out effort and assistance needed in five directions: strengthening air defence, Land Force operations, navigation freedom for trade, deep strike permission and defence industry development.
At the Partners in the Indo-Pacific Session Chiefs of Defence were briefed on the security threats posed to the region and the world by the rising axis of evil CRINK (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea). Chief of Defence of Japan presented the threat perspective in his region. All NATO Chiefs of Defence understand the threat posed by CRINK and it will be reflected in the military dimension of planning.
Bilaterally, directions of cooperation and possibilities for mutual assistance were discussed with Allies and Partners. The Lithuanian Armed Forces maintains strong relations with the Allies and Partners representing areas of strategic importance to Lithuania.
The NATO Military Committee is the highest unit of military authority which provides advice of the Common Security and Defence Policy and military missions and operations. It is comprised of Allied Chiefs of Defence who meet twice a year.
Photo credits: Lithuanian Armed Forces
