Ministers unveiled joint training plans for Lithuania’s new passive radars, hinting at tighter NATO air defense integration and elevated readiness along the eastern flank.
Lithuania and the Czech Republic are strengthening defense cooperation through joint training of personnel to operate radar systems recently purchased by Lithuania.
During Thursday’s meeting, Lithuania’s Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas and his Czech colleague Jaromír Zuna discussed prospects for cooperation within NATO’s air defense and the agenda of the Alliance’s upcoming summit in Ankara.
The sides agreed to exchange technical know-how and information to ensure the effective operational use of the radars recently acquired by Lithuania.
Kaunas said that the purchase of passive radar systems is nearing completion. He called these systems a key component of integrated air defense, particularly in countering drone incursions and observation aerostats that breach Lithuanian airspace, causing growing concern along NATO’s border with Russia and Belarus.
Joint Defense Cooperation and Personnel Training
The Czech minister arrived in Lithuania to visit Czech troops serving as part of the multinational battle group based in Rukla – one of the units deployed in the Baltic states and Poland after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.
Kaunas thanked the Czech Republic for its significant contribution to regional security, noting its participation in the Baltic Airspace Patrol mission and in supporting the NATO Force Integration Unit in Lithuania.
The ministers discussed long-term support for Ukraine. Kaunas invited the Czech Republic to join the demining coalition co-led by Lithuania and Iceland – one of the multinational initiatives aimed at preparing Ukraine for post-war reconstruction.
In an interview with General Karel Řehka, the Chief of the Czech Army’s General Staff, he spoke about NATO’s views on the possibility of armed conflict with Russia, noting that most military leaders do not rule out an escalation of threats through 2029.
The meeting confirmed Lithuania and the Czech Republic’s joint interest in strengthening defense cooperation and training specialists to operate modern radar systems, thereby bolstering regional security in the Baltic region.