German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has revealed Germany’s intention to permanently station an additional 4,000 soldiers in Lithuania, a NATO ally, in order to enhance the security of the alliance’s eastern flank. Minister Pistorius made the announcement during his visit to Vilnius on Monday.
Addressing reporters in Vilnius, Minister Pistorius stated, “Germany is ready to permanently deploy a brigade in Lithuania.” He emphasized the significance of the Baltic region’s vulnerability due to its location and the necessity for a vigilant response to safeguard NATO’s eastern flank.
However, Minister Pistorius was unable to provide a specific timeline for the full deployment of the brigade in Lithuania. He explained, “First and foremost, we require the necessary machinery and equipment. Deploying such a brigade within a few months is certainly not feasible… We are prepared to deploy the brigade, but it necessitates discussions on joint infrastructure and development plans.”
In the previous year, Lithuania and Germany signed a joint communiqué regarding the brigade’s deployment in Lithuania. Presently, only the brigade’s Forward Command Element is stationed in Lithuania, despite Vilnius expressing its desire for a permanent presence of the entire brigade.
Until now, Berlin had maintained that only a portion of the brigade would be stationed in Lithuania, with the remainder staying in Germany but available for redeployment to the Baltic country if the need arose.
— Verteidigungsministerium (@BMVg_Bundeswehr) June 26, 2023
ist bereit, eine robuste Brigade dauerhaft in #Litauen zu stationieren. Voraussetzung sind eine entsprechende Infrastruktur, zum Beispiel Kasernen, und eine flexible Kompatibilität mit der #NATO-Planung, so Minister #Pistorius in seinem Statement. pic.twitter.com/kpI07nzLVp
