Defence

The United Kingdom and Lithuanian Defence Relationship

Historical Bilateral Defence Relationship

The United Kingdom and Lithuania have enjoyed a strong bilateral defence relationship since the early 1990s.  A wide range of co-operative and collaborative programmes have helped to strengthen that relationship, not least the UK's Outreach Programme, to support defence training and education and Defence Reform through a wide range of courses and seminars, the Partnership for Peace Programme (PfP), the Peacekeeping English Programme (PEP) and the provision of a Special Defence Advisor.  All have contributed to create a bond of understanding and interoperability as partners within NATO, the EU and on international missions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo.

Overview of UK Defence Diplomacy

Following a Strategic Defence Review (SDR) the Ministry of Defence of the United Kingdom (MODUK) assumed a new defence mission called Defence Diplomacy, created to give greater priority, impetus and coherence to conflict prevention and peacetime diplomacy.

The Defence Diplomacy Mission was defined as follows:

"To provide forces to meet the varied activities undertaken by the MOD to dispel hostility, build and maintain trust and assist in the development of democratically accountable armed forces, thereby making a significant contribution to conflict prevention and resolution."

MODUK defines the objectives of Defence Diplomacy in Central & Eastern Europe as follows:

·         To contribute to conflict prevention and resolution.

·         To assist in the continuation of defence reform programmes.

·         To build and maintain trust. 

·         To assist in the development of the democratically accountable Armed Forces.

·         To promote NATO and EU defence and security inter-operability.

·         To offer military advice as required.

To attain these objectives the Defence Section is in a position to access and facilitate support in the following areas:

·         Defence Policy and Planning.

·         Security Sector Reform 

·         European Security & Defence Policy.

·         Bilateral Political/Military and Defence Staff Talks.

·         In-country basic leadership and infantry training.

·         In-country advisory visits.

·         Seminars and Courses in the UK and Lithuania.

·         Courses at European based UK training establishments.

·         Visits by senior political and military officials.

·         Ship Visits.

·         Co-ordinated Joint Baltic projects.

·         International operational deployments.

·         Defence procurement

The above list is not exhaustive and is refined by respective MODUK and Lithuanian MND staffs into an annual Defence Relations Activity Programme (DRAP) which is of mutual benefit to UK and Lithuania.