Germany Agrees to Permanently Deploy Troops to Lithuania Amid Rising Tensions

Germany and Lithuania have signed an agreement that will see German troops permanently deployed in Lithuania, marking the first permanent deployment of German troops abroad since World War II.

The agreement was signed on December 18, 2023, between German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Lithuanian counterpart, Arvydas Anusauskas, as per Kyiv Independent.

Germany Commits Troops to Lithuania in Historic Move

(Photo : TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius arrives to meet family members of German soldiers and police officers deployed abroad, on December 11, 2023 at the Chancellery in Berlin. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP) (Photo by TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

The decision represents a significant step in defense relations, especially given the lengthy war between Ukraine and Russia, with the latter bordering Lithuania and Belarus, a close ally of Russia, also bordering Lithuania.

The announcement of the agreement was made in Lithuania, where both officials outlined a multi-year "Roadmap Action Plan'' involving approximately 4,800 permanently stationed German soldiers in the Lithuanian cities of Kaunas and Vilnius, beginning in 2024.

Most troops are expected to be deployed in 2025 and 2026, with full-operation capability anticipated by 2027. In turn, Lithuania has committed to providing all necessary civilian and military infrastructure to support the deployment.

"The German commitment of permanently stationing a brigade in Lithuania is a historical step for both Germany and Lithuania," said Anusauskas in a press release. "We are turning over a page of even deeper strategic partnership. The German Brigade will significantly increase our defensive potential and enhance NATO deterrence and collective defense."

The plan was formulated by experts within the defense ministries of both nations, and most of the German troops will be stationed in the Rūdninkai military training ground, while the rest will be deployed in the town of Rukla. The 203^rd Panzer Battalion, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the 122nd Armored Infantry Battalion, based in Bavaria, will be moved to Lithuania.

Lithuania's enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group will be transformed into a multinational battalion to become "an integral part of the brigade," the release said. Germany already leads NATO's multi-national battle group in Lithuania of some 1,000 troops, which will be integrated into the brigade, according to Newsweek.

Germany Signals NATO Commitment in Lithuania

"The speed of the project clearly shows that Germany understood the new security reality. We will ensure reliable deterrence, and we will be ready to defend NATO. We are sending a clear signal with this step to those who present a threat to peace and security in Europe," said Pistorius.

During the joint press conference in Lithuania, Pistorius compared the agreement to the stationing of allied forces in West Germany during the Cold War to defend Western Europe in the event of a Soviet attack.

Germany was pressured by the United States and other Western allies in January to provide Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine for its defense efforts against Russian forces. "The eastern flank has now moved to the east, and it's the duty of Germany to protect it," said Pistorius.

The Lithuanian lawmaker Laurynas Kasciunas, head of the parliamentary National Security, and Defense Committee said the country will allocate 0.3% of its gross domestic product over the next several years to help fund the deployment and to build housing, training grounds, and other infrastructure for the German troops. Taxes will likely have to be raised to accommodate this plan, he said.

"We should expect not only good scenarios but also the very worst scenarios," said Anusauskas. "So we must be ready. Russia remains the main threat to us and NATO."

Overall, the agreement marks a critical juncture in the strategic partnership between Lithuania and Germany, as evidenced by their shared dedication to bolstering collective defense and NATO deterrence.

Given the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine, the deployment of German troops in Lithuania represents a considerable advance toward assuring peace and security in Europe, FirstPost reported.