Germany to deploy full brigade to Lithuania by 2025

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has reaffirmed that Germany will fulfill its commitment to deploy a full brigade to Lithuania. Addressing doubts regarding the deployment, Nausėda stated that the complete military unit is expected to be present by the end of next year, following promises made by the German Chancellor and government.

Germany committed in the summer of 2022 to station a brigade-sized unit in Lithuania, involving approximately 5,000 soldiers and civilians. While the brigade is expected to reach full operational capacity by 2027, the German Ministry of Defense reports that nearly 80 percent of volunteer positions are already filled. Additionally, Nausėda noted the possibility of approximately 1,000 U.S. troops remaining or returning to the country.

Separately, reports indicate that several German Bundeswehr soldiers with family ties to Russia or Belarus have failed security clearances required for service in the Lithuanian brigade. These individuals are permitted to continue their service within Germany, but they have been denied assignment to the Lithuanian unit due to stricter security requirements. This measure focuses on individual suitability and potential vulnerability to foreign pressure rather than a blanket ban on soldiers of specific origins.