US President Donald Trump thanked Lithuania for its readiness to help ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz in a letter to President Gitanas Nausėda.
According to the President’s Office on Friday, Trump said in the letter that the offer to deploy troops "means a great deal to him".
In May, Lithuania’s State Defence Council agreed to send up to 40 military and civilian personnel to the Strait of Hormuz to take part in mine-clearing operations to ensure smooth shipping. The decision is currently being considered by the Seimas under an urgent procedure.
Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas previously said Lithuanian troops and specialists could contribute to both the UK- and French-led multinational mission to restore freedom of navigation, as well as the US-led international operation aimed at ensuring maritime security and coordination in the strait.
The letter also said Lithuania has always been a reliable friend and partner of the US. It added that readiness to provide access and permanent deployment opportunities for American troops reaffirms the continuous bond between the two nations that has lasted for more than a century.
The letter reached the President’s Office this week following the conclusion of a rotation of US troops in Lithuania.
Kaunas said on Tuesday he had received assurances from the US that the departing troops would be replaced by new ones, though the exact timing remains unclear.
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