Lithuania to attend crisis management exercise in NATO countries

The exercise is designed to test the decision-making procedures and measures of responding to crisis at the NATO Headquarters and in both strategic commands and member-states, as well as check the Alliance’s technical potential and existing decision-making methods and procedures at the strategic political-military level.

According to the press release, the scenario for CMX15 consists of a crisis developing between two non-NATO states at distance from Alliance territory. It contains a humanitarian and maritime dimension, with implications for the security of the Allies.

Lithuania has achieved inclusion of elements related to Lithuania’s energy security into the scenario, the Foreign Ministry said.

The exercise will include all 28 members of the Alliance, NATO’s structural divisions and officials. Australia, Finland, Japan, Sweden and Ukraine will participate alongside the Allies in the exercise. South Korea, New Zealand and Georgia chose to observe the exercise.

The European Union has been invited to exchange information on the evolving situation, along with the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and Department of Peacekeeping Operations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Energy Agency, which will also observe the exercise.

This is the Alliance’s 19th Crisis Management Exercise (CMX) since 1992.