UK’s chief of defense staff visits Vilnius

Sir Peach is scheduled to meet with Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis, Vidmantas Purlys, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry’s political director, and Lithuania’s Chief of Defense Lieutenant General Jonas Vytautas Zukas to discuss the security situation in the region, the implementation of NATO’s deterrence measures, the fight against terror and military cooperation issues, it said.

Officials from the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ Joint Staff will brief the UK’s chief of the defense staff on the Armed Forces’ capabilities and development plans, and officials from the Armed Forces’ Strategic Communication Department will present an analysis of information threats to him.

Defense cooperation between Lithuania and the UK started back in October 1994 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding by the defense ministries of the two countries.

The UK has significantly contributed to the development of Lithuania’s military training system and to the education and training of military and civilian defense personnel. The country was Lithuania’s key partner in planning and carrying out a defense management reform, providing advice on resource and procurement management, on defense planning, management and budgeting and on a reserve force reform, the ministry said.