Belgium to send 150 soldiers in Lithuania to enhance military presence of NATO Forces in the east 10907163

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Defence & Security Industry News - Belgium
 
Belgium to send 150 soldiers in Lithuania to enhance military presence of NATO Forces in the east.
NATO’s 28 leaders took decisions to bolster the Alliance’s deterrence and defence at the first working session of the Warsaw Summit on Friday, July 8, 2016. Belgium could send around 150 soldiers in Lithuania to enhance military presence of NATO Forces in the east.
     
NATO’s 28 leaders took decisions to bolster the Alliance’s deterrence and defence at the first working session of the Warsaw Summit on Friday, July 8, 2016. Belgium could send around 150 soldiers in Lithuania to enhance military presence of NATO Forces in the east. Belgian (R) and Lithuanian Soldiers (L) stand guard during a military exercise called Baltic Piranha in Rukla, Lithuania, Oct. 22, 2015.
     
"We have a threat on the East, measures to reassure allies are needed, the four battalions. Belgium will take an active part in it, we will send at least 150 servicemen to Lithuania," Reynders told journalists before the beginning of the second day of NATO summit.

The leaders decided to send more forces to the eastern part of the Alliance, declared a milestone for Ballistic Missile Defence, and decided to recognise cyberspace as an operational domain.

The leaders agreed to enhance NATO’s military presence in the east, with four battalions in Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on a rotational basis – to be in place starting next year. The Secretary General welcomed that Canada will lead the battalion for Latvia, Germany will lead in Lithuania, the United Kingdom will lead in Estonia, and the United States will lead in Poland.

A 500-strong battalion of British Army will be deployed to Estonia and 150 British troops will go to Poland to "reassure" these countries, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said UK troops have previously been deployed in the Baltic states for military training exercises, but this is the first time they will be based there permanently.