News

On 17 March, the North Atlantic Council in Brussels took a political decision regarding the integrated air space defence of the enlarged NATO and authorised the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe to start generating the required assets. It was also stated that all NATO members should have the same guarantees of collective security. The Council decided that the air space of all the 26 NATO allies would be protected accordingly to the same standards. The Alliance will offer the assets needed to safeguard the air space to the member states lacking their own air defence capabilities. It was decided that the assets needed to implement this objective would be stationed in Lithuania. The Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs welcomed this NATO decision. “This proves once again that we are acceding to the Alliance of equal and full-fledged members, which is able to ensure security for its all allies. I am glad that after becoming a full-fledged member Lithuania will feel safer not only politically, but also de facto. This will increase security in the entire Baltic region,” the Minister indicated. The allies will further coordinate all the procedures needed to implement this decision. Last week Lithuania completed all the legal NATO accession requirements. The country will become a full-fledged member of the Alliance on 29 March, after representatives of Lithuania and the other six invitees have deposited the North Atlantic Treaty ratification instruments in Washington. On 2 April, a solemn ceremony of hoisting flags is scheduled in Brussels.