On October 29, the Inspector of the German Army, Lt Gen Christian Freuding, the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army, Lt Gen Jan Swillens, and the Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force, Brig Gen Nerijus Stankevičius, met at the Rokantiškės Military Campus. They discussed Baltic regional defence and planning following a terrain reconnaissance visit across Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.
Summarizing the outcomes of the visit, Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army Lt Gen Jan Swillens underscored: “We stand together and we defend together! This is what our mission in NATO is about. Thus, we need an excellent understanding of the terrain and a comprehensive view of the security situation in the Baltic region.”
The German Army and the Royal Netherlands Army hold high-level bilateral seminars every two years, hosted rotationally by each country. The main theme of the 2026 Griffin Seminar is the defence of the Baltic region, as decided by the leadership of the German Army. The objective of the seminar is to continue strengthening the partnership between the German and Dutch armies to ensure effective defence planning.
“Table-top exercises in national military training centers cannot replace first-hand terrain reconnaissance. Therefore, we are taking steps to gain a better understanding of the Baltic defence plans and the terrain where they would be implemented. This allows us to flesh out a shared tactical situational awareness with our Dutch partners and demonstrates our readiness to assume joint responsibility for the defence of NATO’s Eastern Flank,” said Lt Gen Ch. Freuding discussing the seminar results.
From October 26 to 30, the Army Commanders of Germany and the Netherlands, joined by local Army Commanders, visited Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Under the theme “NATO Mission in the Baltic States,” the visit allowed commanders to familiarize themselves with the terrain where German and Dutch troops could potentially deploy under NATO defence plans. It also enabled them to assess collective defence requirements, infrastructure, and operational conditions.
“This terrain review reinforces an important principle: you must know the Baltic region thoroughly if you wish to defend it successfully. Maps and plans are important, but they cannot replace first-hand experience of the terrain. We are familiarizing ourselves with the locality, assessing critical infrastructure, and analyzing regional peculiarities to build stronger situational awareness and the ability to act together effectively,” said Commander of the Lithuanian Land Force Brig Gen N. Stankevičius.
On July 1, 2026, the 1st German-Netherlands Corps (1GNC) officially assumed tactical command responsibility for potential NATO land operations in Estonia and Latvia, while the NATO Multinational Corps Northeast (MNC NE) is responsible for Lithuania and northeastern Poland.
Photo credits: Pte Džiugas Švaikauskas
