Five NATO Ships Arriving in Lithuania Currently Ukraine Crisis Continues

Five NATO Ships Arriving in Lithuania Currently Ukraine Crisis Continues

Five NATO ships arrived in the port of Klaipeda , Lithuania , Friday ( 02/05/2014 ) . The presence of the ships to bolster its defense in the region amid tensions with Russia Ukraine -related crisis , the defense ministry said the Baltic country .In a ceremony , the Minister of Defense Lithuania , Juozas Olekas , welcomed the ships - four minesweepers and a support vessel from Norway , the Netherlands , Belgium , and Estonia - while trying to convince NATO countries Lithuania and other members who agitated in the region .
" The arrival of NATO ships is another sign of the unity and solidarity of NATO , " said Olekas told AFP by telephone after the ceremony in the port city located in the west of the country.
He called the increase in the presence of NATO as a " deterrent measures " against Russia , which has about 40,000 soldiers who had gathered in the eastern Ukrainian border .
NATO naval force to deploy the Baltic Sea last week . Parties NATO said it showed " the alliance's commitment to the safety and security of the Baltic states are members. "
Lithuania 's defense ministry said NATO ships will also visit other Baltic ports and participated in a mine search operation in neighboring Latvia , later this month .
About 600 U.S. soldiers have been sent to Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia , and Poland in recent weeks . While Britain , France , and Denmark has sent a number of additional jets .
British Defence Secretary , Philip Hammond , will visit troops in Siauliai air base in Lithuania on Friday night .
Russian action in Ukraine has rocked the Baltic states , which was occupied and annexed Moscow in World War II .
Three countries in the region , namely Lithuania , Latvia , and Estonia , freed from the Soviet Union broke up in 1991 and joined the European Union and NATO in 2004 .