Belgian army chief to meet Lithuanian counterpart, Belgian troops in Lithuania

VILNIUS – Chief of Defense of Belgium, Admiral Michel Hofman, is set to visit Lithuania on Monday, the Lithuanian army said.

The guest is scheduled to meet with Lithuanian Chief of Defense Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupsys and Belgian troops serving within the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in Lithuania.

At a meeting in Rukla a year ago, the army chiefs discussed Lithuanian-Belgian military cooperation, NATO eFP Battle Group activities, exercises and future plans, and this year they will discuss regional threats and joint effort to ensure security, the Lithuanian army said.

Belgian troops are serving along their German, Dutch, Norwegian, Czech and Luxembourgian troops within the NATO eFP Battle Group deployed in Rukla since 2017.

Lithuanian-Belgian defense cooperation is taking place in a number of areas, particularly in field of strengthening NATO capabilities in the Baltic region.

Belgium is an active participant of the NATO air policing mission in the Baltic states and was the first NATO member state to deploy troops to the mission in 2004 after Lithuania became a NATO member, the Lithuanian army points out.