Vilnius: Lithuania is contemplating increasing the number of US troops stationed within its borders as part of ongoing talks with Washington regarding the US military's presence in Europe, the Lithuanian defense minister announced on Friday. 'It is currently at the consideration stage; there are discussions, and we are answering questions,' Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas stated during an interview with LRT Radio, the national public broadcaster.
According to Anadolu Agency, Kaunas emphasized that Lithuania possesses the necessary infrastructure and capability to host additional US forces. However, he noted that any ultimate decisions will rely on military planning and coordination with NATO leadership. 'We should not become attached to a specific number,' Kaunas said, pointing out that the United States regards Lithuania as one of its most steadfast allies.
The US has been deploying battalion-sized contingents to Lithuania since 2019. After the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February 2022, the US transitioned to a consistent rotational deployment in the Baltic region. These reinforced battalions typically consist of at least 1,000 troops, along with combat vehicles and other military assets. Lithuania has expressed readiness to accommodate up to 1,500 US service members.
This summer saw the conclusion of a rotation involving over 1,000 US troops in Lithuania, with some personnel remaining stationed in the country. Lithuania's Ambassador to NATO, Darius Jauniskis, conveyed that Vilnius had received encouraging indications from Washington regarding the continued presence of American forces in Lithuania. 'The Americans are definitely not pulling back, and I think we can be confident that we will have troops,' Jauniskis remarked, adding that discussions are ongoing about the specifics and numbers of troops.
US Deputy Defense Secretary Elbridge Colby recently called on NATO allies to outline their plans for assuming greater responsibility for Europe's defense. Meanwhile, Lithuania has allocated 5.38% of its gross domestic product, approximately £4.8 billion ($5.6 billion), to defense this year, with officials intending to maintain defense spending at no less than 5% of GDP in the coming year.