Norway has increased its NATO contribution to Lithuania and Parliament Speaker Masud Gharahkhani is now in the country to visit Norwegian forces.
Updated less than 20 minutes ago
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– Last week we received a reinforcement team from the Telemark Battalion who will join the company we have in Lithuania. In total, there are now approx. 200 Norwegian staff members in NATO’s enhanced military presence in Lithuania, says Eirik Østbye Andresen, force commander for the Norwegian contribution to the VG.
President Storting Masud Gharahkhani (AP) will participate in the meetings with the presidents of the Nordic and Baltic parliaments (NB8) which will meet in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas on 22 and 23 August. They will discuss closer and broader cooperation now that Sweden and Finland are becoming NATO members.
Before the NB8 meeting, the president of Storting went to Rukla to visit the Norwegians the eFP forces. Since 2017, Norway has contributed its forces to the NATO presence, which now totals 1,600 forces in Lithuania. VG visited the Norwegian forces in the country in October 2021.
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Extended until 2023
The eFP was created at the request of NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg following the Russian annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014. This was a clear signal to Russia and President Vladimir Putin that NATO’s article five is applicable: An attack on one nation is an attack on all.
This summer extended the contribution of the force of Norway in Lithuania until 2023, due to the war in Ukraine. And last week we sent a reinforcement force from TMBN.
– I am looking forward to visiting the Norwegian forces in Lithuania. It is important for me to say that they play an important role in NATO’s presence in the country and that they do incredibly important work there. They are there to strengthen European security and preserve our democratic values, Gharahkhani told VG before leaving.
–During his visit to Rukla today, the Storting president had the opportunity to drive a Norwegian Leopard tank from the Telemark Battalion.
– Lithuanians are worried
Waffles were also served by Norwegian soldiers.
– It’s nice to see they brought a piece of Norwegian culture down there with them, he says.
He has the strong impression that the Norwegian presence in NATO’s contribution is considered valuable and that it provides invaluable experience for training with other NATO forces in Lithuania.
– Lithuanians are concerned that if Russia wins the war, they will be the next to be attacked and therefore they are very grateful that we show solidarity and participate in the NATO protection force, says Gharahkhani.
–Gharahkhani will discuss NATO and security policy in meetings with the presidents of the Nordic and Baltic parliaments, but he cannot say much about the details of the planned talks.
But the NATO applications of Sweden and Finland are certainly under discussion.
– There is no doubt that it is important that Finland and Sweden have contact with Norway as a NATO country. We have been clear that they are welcome as NATO members and Sweden and Finland appreciate our support, she says.
–– Excellent reputation
Captain Eirik Østbye Andresen, commander of the force for what the Norwegian eFP says Norwegian forces are largely composed of.
– Now this has become a brigade effort and we staff 8 out of 9 departments in Brigade North in a cooperative system, he says.
They cooperate closely with other NATO countries and carry out regular exercises, close to the Belarusian border, with the forces of other countries.
– Norwegian experience is required and our force has a very good reputation here and in the alliance, says Østbye Andresen.
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