Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas is proposing to install a commemorative plaque in the city featuring a quote from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying Lithuania’s security is also Germany’s security.
In his speech at the inauguration of the German brigade in Vilnius last week, Merz said: “Lithuania’s security is also our security. The protection of Vilnius is the protection of Berlin.”
“These words by the German chancellor will go down in the history of Lithuania and Europe. They highlight unity, responsibility and solidarity based on values. They will always remind us and our allies that freedom and security are a shared commitment and that Lithuania has reliable allies,” Benkunskas said in a press release on Friday.
A similar plaque is mounted on Vilnius Town Hall, quoting a 2002 speech by US President George W. Bush: “Anyone who would choose Lithuania as an enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America.”
Mayor Benkunskas suggests that Merz’s quote could be installed in the area of Vokiečių Street (German Street), possibly on the wall of the Town Hall facing the street, though the exact location is still up for discussion.
The Vilnius Commission on Historical Memory will consider the proposal.
The municipality also noted that Vokiecių Street is set to undergo upgrades in the coming years.
Vilnius and Berlin have been actively cooperating in defence since 2017, when Germany took the lead of NATO’s multinational battalion stationed in Lithuania.
Earlier this month, Germany officially inaugurated its 45th Armoured Brigade Lithuania. Around 5,000 German troops are expected to be deployed in Lithuania by 2027.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
