Lithuanian and German Defence Ministers Arvydas Anušauskas and Boris Pistorius have signed a plan for the deployment of a Bundeswehr brigade in Lithuania on Monday in Vilnius.
The plan consolidates the two countries’ intentions regarding the German brigade in Lithuania and the further course of action for its full-scale deployment.
Under the plan, the brigade’s key deployment to Lithuania will take place between 2025 and 2026.
“In 2027, the German brigade in Lithuania should reach full operational capability, meaning that all its units will be fully staffed and equipped in the country and ready to carry out tasks,” Anušauskas said.
The action plan has been prepared by a joint working group of the German and Lithuanian Defence Ministries.
The core of the German brigade will consist of five battalions, including tank and artillery battalions. In total, Germany intends to deploy around 5,000 soldiers and civilians in Lithuania, with families expected to join them for the long rotation period.
German troops will be stationed in Rūdninkai and Rukla. Some of them will live in Vilnius and Kaunas, and additional logistic points will be created in other parts of Lithuania.
The German-led NATO multinational battalion deployed in Lithuania since 2017 will also be integrated into the brigade, which is expected to be done by 2026.
Discussions on the deployment of such a brigade in Lithuania started after Russia invaded Ukraine, and Germany announced its commitment in June.
According to the German minister, Berlin’s policy changes prove that his country has “grasped the new security policy realities“.
“We are sending a clear signal to those who threaten peace and security in Europe,” Pistorius said.
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