Lithuania moves forward with creating joint military brigade with Poland, Ukraine

The Government of Lithuania proposed on Wednesday the establishment of LITPOLUKRBRIG, the joint military brigade with Poland and Ukraine.

According to the Government's statement, the Cabinet decided to turn to President Dalia Grybauskaite, asking her to initiate the parliamentary ratification process of the military brigade's establishment treaty.

Last September, Lithuanian, Polish and Ukrainian defense ministers signed an intergovernmental treaty on establishing joint military brigade LITPOLUKRBRIG.

According to the agreement, the soldiers of the brigade would attend joint military exercises and trainings.

"If needed, the brigade or its separate elements could be sent to international operations under the mandate of the United Nations Security Council," said the Cabinet in the statement.

The Project is also intended to strengthen military cooperation of three countries and help Ukraine in engaging cooperation in the region and Transatlantic area as well as adopting NATO military standards and expertise of member countries of the alliance, said the government.

According to the agreement, LITPOLUKRBRIG would consist of international headquarters staff, three battalions and specialized units. The staff is to be established in Lublin, Poland.

The treaty allows other countries to join the brigade under the agreement of the founding countries.

Ukrainian Parliament already ratified the treaty. If the ratification process goes according to the schedule, LITPOLUKRBRIG could be established this year, reports Lithuanian business news website vz.lt. Endit