Germany and Lithuania have reached an agreement to station a brigade in the Baltic country, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and his Lithuanian counterpart Laurynas Kasciunas said on Friday.
The agreement underscores Germany’s commitment to permanently station a combat-ready and independently operational unit in the NATO country, in response to Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, which fundamentally changed the security situation in Europe.
The German brigade is expected to be operational in 2027, with a permanent presence of up to 5,000 soldiers. They will be deployed in Rudninkai and Rukla.
According to the German army, an advance party of about 20 soldiers arrived in Lithuania in April, with another 120 expected in early October.
For the Bundeswehr, the decision to permanently station soldiers abroad is new territory.
The two ministers signed the agreement, which expands an earlier NATO deal and establishes the legal status of German soldiers and civilian employees in Lithuania.
This includes residence and tax status, education, public health care and other aspects.
