Lithuania has a plan for B if the US would pull soldiers from Europe / day

« Lithuania not only thinks about plan B, it already has a plan B. We are highly hoping for our excellent cooperation with Germany, » he said in an interview with the news portal 15min.lt.

Germany is committed to deploying the Army Brigade in Lithuania by the end of 2027. The original headquarters, which is responsible for moving the brigade to Lithuania’s planning, arrived in Vilnius in April 2024. The number of German military personnel in Lithuania is expected to reach 500 by the end of this year.

Germany « The decision to deploy the brigade in Lithuania and the commitment to this objective, despite all the deviations and the initial uncertainty as to whether the brigade will be physically deployed is still firm and consistently implemented, » Nauseda said.

« When I know Germany well, I can say that the Germans are really serious about this commitment, » he added.

As the Lithuanian President said, if « we do our homework and tasks », the German brigade will be located in Lithuania, opening up new opportunities for military cooperation.

« This will significantly expand the opportunities for military cooperation in other areas, such as the development of the defense industry and economic links. It is as important as a direct military presence, » he said.

However, Nauseda emphasized that the US is still a priority for Europe.

« We need to have a plan B, and such a plan exists. However, we will continue to try to reach the presence of the United States here, both in Lithuania and in Europe as a whole, » he said.

The NBC broadcaster reported in April that the Pentagon is considering withdrawing about 10,000 soldiers from Eastern Europe. The US broadcaster quoted sources stating that troops could be removed from Poland and Romania.

At that time, Nausad called on people to ignore media reports and rely on official information. The Lithuanian Foreign and Defense Ministers also confirmed at the time that there were no indications for the possible removal of troops.

President and Minister of Defense Devile Shakaliene has repeatedly stated that Lithuania is ready to welcome even more US soldiers.

The US troops in Lithuania have been intermittent since spring 2014, and US battalions have been stationed in the country since 2019.

Currently, about 1,000 US soldiers are located in Lithuania.