NATO military staff chief Lieutenant General Remigijus Baltrėnas completed a two-day visit to key alliance sites in Italy, including Naples and Rome, focusing on southern flank security and operational readiness.
During the January 14 visit, Lieutenant General Baltrėnas engaged with leaders at Joint Force Command Naples, the NATO Strategic Direction-South Hub, and the NATO Defense College.
At Joint Force Command Naples, he met Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rodolfo Sganga to discuss security developments on NATO’s southern flank, cooperation with neighboring regions, and updates on the NATO missions in Kosovo and Iraq. NATO highlighted the command’s critical role in planning and conducting operations to support collective defense and crisis response.
The NATO Strategic Direction-South Hub in Naples provided briefings on political, economic, and social trends across Africa and the Middle East. The hub’s work supports NATO decision-making, enhancing situational awareness and fostering cooperation to strengthen stability along the Alliance’s southern approaches.
In Rome, Lieutenant General Baltrėnas visited the NATO Defense College, meeting Commandant Lieutenant General Max A.L.T. Nielsen. Discussions centered on senior-level education programs, modern warfare trends, and preparing future strategic leaders. The NATO Defense College has trained over 9,000 officers, many now holding strategic leadership roles.
Lieutenant General Baltrėnas emphasized that the facilities in Naples and Rome are pivotal for NATO’s readiness and leadership development, stating that understanding regional instability is vital to maintaining overall Alliance security.
