(L-R) member of the army; General Steve Thull, Army Chief of Staff; Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg's Minister of Defence; member of the army; member of the army;
Credit: MAEE
On Monday 8 January 2024, Luxembourg’s Defence Minister Yuriko Backes, accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff, General Steve Thull, visited the Cincu military camp in Romania.
During her visit, Minister Backes met the 25 members of the Luxembourg contingent who are part of the Forward Land Forces, a multinational NATO battalion (battlegroup). The advanced battlegroup deployed in Romania is led by France, which assumes the role of framework nation, and also includes Belgian and Luxembourg contingents.
“The presence here in Romania of this multinational battalion and the Luxembourg army demonstrates the solidarity, determination and ability of the Alliance to defend itself and deter any aggression. I thank my fellow Luxembourgers, as well as our French and Belgian allies, for their commitment which guarantees the security of the Euro-Atlantic zone,” highlighted Defence Minister Backes.
The minister also had a bilateral meeting with the Minister of National Defence of Romania, Angel Tîlvăr. Discussions focused in particular on bilateral relations, NATO and the security situation on the Eastern flank of the Alliance, as well as the support provided to Ukraine. During the interview, Yuriko Backes stressed that the participation of the Luxembourg army in NATO's Forward Land Forces in Romania is the largest deployment of the Luxembourg army. In this context, she thanked her counterpart for the hospitality shown by the Romanian Defence in welcoming the Luxembourg troops to the Cincu camp.
Army participation in NATO Forward Land Forces
The Luxembourg contribution to the Forward Land Forces in Romania provides for a maximum deployment of 30 members of the army until 1 July 2025. The mission of the members of the army consists of participating with a light reconnaissance platoon in exercises and missions of training in Romania to contribute to the deterrence posture and, where appropriate, to the defence of NATO member countries. The multinational battlegroup is part of the French military system of the Aigle mission in Romania.
The Luxembourg army also participates in the multinational NATO Battlegroup deployed in Lithuania, under German command, with six army personnel providing transport capabilities. In November 2023, this Luxembourg participation was extended until 31 December 2025, reaffirming the commitment, solidarity and contribution of Luxembourg Defence to collective deterrence and defence efforts.
In response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and the ongoing war in Ukraine, NATO, during the 2022 Madrid summit, decided to establish four additional advanced tactical battlegroups. These are strategically positioned, including in Romania, as part of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence on the eastern flank. Initially named Enhanced Vigilance Activities, they complement the existing battalions in Lithuania since 2016. Echoing the increasing deterioration of the regional security context of the Alliance and following up on the decisions taken at the Vilnius summit in 2023, these battlegroups are now called upon to evolve towards heavier formats, under the new name of Forward Land Forces .
