Vilnius: The US is not planning to reduce its military presence in Lithuania, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said Wednesday, insisting the Baltic nation faces 'no risk' of losing any of the more than 1,000 American troops currently deployed on its territory.

According to Anadolu Agency, Ruginiene stated in an interview with public broadcaster LRT that Lithuania's sharply increased defense spending has strengthened trust with Washington at a time when the US is reassessing its broader military posture across Europe. "Next year, we will allocate record funding for defense," she noted. "For us as a small country, 5.38% of GDP is quite a challenge, but this challenge has already produced a positive outcome."

Ruginiene further elaborated that while US troop levels may be reduced elsewhere, Lithuania continues to be viewed 'in a positive context' by its strategic partners. Her remarks came in the wake of President Gitanas Nauseda's announcement that he received a letter from US President Donald Trump praising Lithuania's increased defense spending, which Nauseda interpreted as a sign of Washington's continued focus on the Baltic region.

American troops have been rotating through Lithuania since 2014, with heavy battalions deployed since 2019. The current unit stationed in the country was bolstered with an artillery component in 2022. Lithuania has also made significant investments in hosting facilities for allied forces, exemplified by the opening of new military infrastructure for US troops at the General Silvestras Zukauskas training area in Pabrade in late November.

Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas emphasized at the time that Lithuania would cover all associated costs and mentioned that he had received 'no bad messages' regarding the continued deployment of US forces. Ruginiene reiterated that the government's increased defense budget has already helped secure strong backing from key allies.