Germany has sent permanent troops to Lithuania in an attempt to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank amid growing threats from Russia.
The deployment of almost 5,000 soldiers of the 45th Armored Brigade to Lithuania is Germany's first permanent foreign troop deployment since World War II.
Attending the ceremony launching the official formation of an armoured brigade in NATO member Lithuania, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said: “Together with our partners, we are determined to defend the alliance territory against any aggression. The security of our Baltic allies is also our security.”
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, who was attending the ceremony along Merz pledged that Germany will be ready to defend “every square of NATO territory”, adding that stationing of the German brigade in Lithuania, he said, is "a strong signal to our partners and a clear sign to any potential adversary."
In turn, Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nauseda, said “Russia’s aggressive revisionism” seeking to redraw the European map created grave security risks for the entire continent, not only Ukraine
The deployment of German troops is aimed at strengthening the defence of Lithuania and other Baltic republics Estonia and Latvia that have become Nato and EU members and fear a Russian attack.
