Brunssum, The Netherlands – General Guglielmo Luigi Miglietta, Commander of NATO’s Joint Force Command Brunssum, visited Lithuania on 24th April, 2023, to emphasise NATO's commitment to the defence of the Baltic States.
We are ready, prepared and determined. We are stronger than ever and our great Alliance is growing.
During the visit, General Miglietta met with the Chief of Defence of the Lithuanian Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Valdemaras Rupšys, and addressed the Lithuanian Army and its Iron Wolf Brigade.
He concluded his visit with a speech to the soldiers of the Forward Land Forces Battlegroup Lithuania. The Commander praised the soldiers for their outstanding service and reaffirmed NATO's ongoing commitment to support its friends and allies in the Baltic States and Poland.
In his speech, General Miglietta recognised the critical importance of the Suwałki Corridor, the about 60 km-long distance between the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus along the Polish-Lithuanian border. He reminded everyone of the need for the Alliance to treat the situation seriously.
“We at Joint Force Command Brunssum understand that our Allies in Lithuania and the wider Baltic Sea region directly feel the threat posed in the area surrounding the Suwałki Corridor,” said General Miglietta. "This is the solid manifestation of NATO’s ongoing commitment to support our friends and Allies in the Baltic States and Poland – as expressed in the new Strategic Concept announced at last year’s NATO Summit in Madrid.”
The Commander praised the soldiers for their outstanding service to the security of Europe, saying, “I want to thank the soldiers stationed in Lithuania and in the whole Baltic Sea Region for their outstanding service to the security of Europe. In particular, I would like to thank Germany for its efforts and its unwavering commitment to the defence of Eastern Europe – especially here in Lithuania. I am very grateful to our Lithuanian Allies who have welcomed our multinational force so warmly, providing support and making excellent facilities available for our troops to train and live.”
The Commander highlighted the importance of NATO’s presence in the Baltic States and the whole region:
“My message in this regard is clear and could not be misinterpreted: NATO will stand united against Russian aggression,” said General Miglietta “We are ready, prepared and determined. We are stronger than ever and our great Alliance is growing. It is not the military power that makes us strong and attractive to new members; it is our values and the promise of solidarity.”
He concluded by directly addressing the soldiers present.
“Most importantly, you – the soldiers of the Iron Wolf Brigade and the Forward Land Forces Battle Group, are here. Together, we will deter any enemy, and if necessary, we will stop them here on our borders. Together, we will defend every inch of NATO territory,” he said.
General Miglietta’s visit demonstrated NATO's ongoing commitment to support its allies in the Baltic States and Poland. The Commander's visit to Lithuania reaffirmed the Alliance's solidarity and determination to defend its territory against any threat.