On 28 January 2026, Colonel Gytis KAZOKAS, Director of the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (NATO ENSEC COE), welcomed Mr Taurimas VALYS, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Lithuania, to the Centre in Vilnius. The purpose of the visit was to discuss avenues for enhanced cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NATO ENSEC COE, including future projects, joint events and practical initiatives in light of the evolving geopolitical and energy security environment.
The interlocutors exchanged views on supporting Ukraine, strengthening the resilience and protection of critical energy infrastructure, and mitigating hybrid threats in the Baltic region and the broader Euro‑Atlantic area. Particular attention was given to CIV‑MIL cooperation and to closer engagement with industry and academia in developing and testing innovative technological solutions, including energy‑efficient capabilities, alternative fuels and technologies that enhance the robustness of military and civilian energy systems.
Colonel Kazokas is a career officer of the Lithuanian Armed Forces who assumed the position of Director of NATO ENSEC COE in 2024. Since beginning his service in 1992, he has held positions in Land Forces units, Special Operations Forces, the Military Police and the Defence Staff, and has gained operational experience in international missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. A graduate of the Lithuanian Military Academy and the Baltic Defence College, and holder of a master’s degree in political science, he brings both operational and academic expertise to the leadership of the Centre, which serves as NATO’s hub of knowledge on energy security.
Vice Minister Taurimas Valys was appointed Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in autumn 2025 and is responsible for portfolios that include economic diplomacy and international economic cooperation. Before joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he served as Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister on economic diplomacy and state‑owned enterprises, as an elected member of Vilnius City Council overseeing a large municipal budget and corporate network, and as an international business development and investment consultant with experience across multiple continents. He also has links to academia through his work with Vilnius University Business School.
The visit underscored the shared resolve of Lithuania and NATO ENSEC COE to further strengthen Allied energy security as an integral part of collective defence and deterrence, to support Ukraine’s struggle for freedom and reconstruction, and to build a stronger bridge between diplomatic, military and industrial communities in developing future‑oriented energy security solutions.
