The Netherlands has announced that it will send Patriot long-range air defence systems to Lithuania for several weeks for an exercise.
“This contributes directly to our readiness and reassures our allies,” Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren posted on the X platform on Thursday.
She did not say when the systems will be deployed in Lithuania.
Schendingen van het @NATO-luchtruim aan de oostflank dwingen ons om paraat te blijven. Defensie stuurt een Patriot-eenheid enkele weken naar Litouwen voor een oefening. Dit draagt direct bij aan onze gereedheid en stelt onze bondgenoten gerust. #WeAreNATO pic.twitter.com/1wUiiJam0k
— Kajsa Ollongren (@DefensieMin) March 28, 2024
Lithuania is asking NATO allies to rotate ground-based air defence systems as part of a regional rotational air defence model agreed last year.
Former Defence Minister Arvydas Anušauskas said in early March that the model would be operational later this year, including the deployment of Patriot systems.
Lithuania has discussed the possibility of deploying air defence capabilities in the region with Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, and Greece.
The last time Patriot systems were deployed in Lithuania was last July, when Vilnius hosted NATO’s summit.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
