Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasčiūnas, who is on a visit to the US, says he has been assured that the American battalion in Lithuania will stay in the country indefinitely, not until the end of 2025 as initially planned.
“During my visit to Washington, I received a strong and clear confirmation from the US National Security Council and the Pentagon that the US presence in Lithuania is indefinite and the deployment of forces in the region will remain unchanged,” the minister told BNS on Wednesday.
The Americans highly appreciate the conditions for military presence and training in Lithuania, which allow them to ensure proper readiness of the forces for any scenario, he said.
“During the meetings, I sent a clear message that the US presence in Lithuania is indispensable, and together with NATO, the German brigade and the national forces, it is the necessary combat power that can reliably deter Russia,” Kasčiūnas stressed.
It was announced in October 2022 that a US Army battalion would be deployed in Lithuania by the end of 2025 after the US approved a rotational force plan for the Baltic states.
US battalions have been deployed in Lithuania on a rotation basis since 2019, following the deployment of rotational companies in 2014–2017. In response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Americans reinforced the rotational battalions by sending in more troops and equipment.
Kasčiūnas also told BNS that the Americans had advanced the delivery of Javelin anti-tank missiles to Lithuania, saying that they will now arrive later this month.
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