Ukrainian flag has been officially raised at the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Vilnius

A solemn flag-raising ceremony of Ukraine was held at the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (NATO ENSEC COE) in Vilnius on Wednesday. Ukraine has officially become the twelfth member of the NATO ENSEC COE.

During the flag-raising ceremony, welcoming speeches were given by the Minister of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Arvydas Anušauskas, the Minister of Energy of Ukraine Mr. Herman Halushchenko and the Vice-minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Egidijus Meilūnas. Soldiers of the Honour Guard of Lithuanian Armed Forces raised the flag. The event was attended by ambassadors and defence attachés of NATO ENSEC COE member nations and other NATO countries.

"It is not just the flag that comes with Ukraine's accession. It is important for us to get staff and expertise to the Centre. We will now have an expert from Ukraine, and the added value will be priceless. Due to the past cyber-attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, the accumulated experience of Ukrainians will be very useful for the NATO and the Centre," said Col. Romualdas Petkevičius, Director of the NATO ENSEC COE.

NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence in Vilnius was established in 2012. The Centre analyses aspects of military energy efficiency and critical energy infrastructure protection. The staff of the Centre provides recommendations and suggestions on operational energy security, the use of alternative energy sources in warfare and the development of environmentally friendly and effective military capabilities, organizes exercises.

So far, the Centre has employed experts from eleven countries - Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, Lithuania and Poland as contributing partner. Ukraine's accession was approved during the Lithuanian-Ukrainian Council of Presidents in Kiev in March this year.

The Centre has been waiting for Ukraine's accession for some time. In the second half of this year, a NATO-funded exercise is being organized by the NATO ENSEC COE in Odessa, Ukraine. An exercise scenario is focused to train in the areas of maritime and coastal critical infrastructure and energy infrastructure protection.

"We are glad that the Ukrainians have joined, but it will not be easy for them with us, because the work here really boils - our Centre is recognized not only as an international NATO-accredited institution, but also a forge of ideas that includes both war and geopolitical energy security challenges," emphasized the Director of the NATO ENSEC COE Col. Romualdas Petkevičius.