Berlin Assures Vilnius of Full Deployment of German Troops in Lithuania

The German government assured the Lithuanian government that Bundeswehr troops would be fully deployed in Lithuania.

This assurance came after reports that the German army was facing difficulties recruiting volunteers for the brigade stationed in Lithuania. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė stated that she discussed the issue with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

He assured her that Germany would do everything possible to ensure the smooth deployment of the brigade, according to LRT.

“The Chancellor, for his part, assured that he would make every effort to ensure that the troops are deployed here, with us, in full force, as agreed,” stated Ingrida Šimonytė.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that Lithuania is ready to meet any additional needs of Germany.

Currently, the Bundeswehr is struggling to find volunteers for the brigade stationed in Lithuania. There is particularly low interest among enlisted personnel: only 28–47% of the required number have signed up for the 203rd Tank Battalion and the 122nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion.

An internal document describes the situation as even more critical: of the 2,000 positions in key units, including artillery, reconnaissance, and engineering units, only about 10% of the necessary number of troops have volunteered.

According to Der Spiegel, the ministry plans to take additional measures. Specifically, 43,000 soldiers will be sent informational letters, offered trips to Lithuania, and the minimum length of service will be reduced from two years to one.

The head of the Bundestag Defence Committee, Thomas Revekamp, stated that he would like to make it mandatory for Bundeswehr soldiers to serve in Lithuania if enough volunteers cannot be found for the German brigade stationed there.

Meanwhile, in response to media reports, the President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, announced that he had spoken with Chancellor Merz. He assured him that Germany’s commitments to Lithuania remain unchanged.

In total, about 5,000 military and civilian personnel from the German brigade are planned to be deployed to Lithuania. Some of them will arrive with their families.

It is expected that by 2026, the majority of the brigade will be relocated to Lithuania. According to German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius, the brigade will reach full operational capability by 2027.