The delegation on the unannounced meeting includes Agriculture Minister Kazys Starkevičius, chairman of the parliamentary Healthcare Committee Antanas Matulas, other representatives of the Defense Ministry and Armed Forces along with a delegation of Ukraine's Armed Forces that will visit Ukrainian troops serving in Afghanistan together with the Lithuanian soldiers.
While in Afghanistan, the Lithuanian chief of defense is also scheduled to meet with members of the Ghor provincial administration and leadership of the NATO operation in Afghanistan, discuss the handover of responsibilities to Afghan forces.
Currently, about 250 Lithuanian troops serve in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in Afghanistan, namely, in the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) and the police operational training and interaction group in Ghor, air forces training team in the Kandahar province and special operations squadron in southern Afghanistan.
Lithuanian soldiers are involved in a mission in Air Assault Management Team in Helmand province, in addition to a few soldiers serving in headquarters of Afghanistan's Western Region. Another 20 serve in the national support element, ensuring logistics support of Lithuanian missions in Afghanistan.
