[RYAN ROBERTSON]

FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WORLD WAR II, 

GERMAN TROOPS ARE PERMANENTLY DEPLOYING TO FOREIGN SOIL.

THE NEWS COMES WHILE THE WAR IN UKRAINE THREATENS REGIONAL STABILITY AND THE BORDER SECURITY OF NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.

GERMANY T WILL STATION 48-HUNDRED TROOPS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN LITHUANIA, WHICH SHARES A BORDER WITH RUSSIA AND BELARUS, A KEY RUSSIAN ALLY. THE MOVE IS MEANT TO STRENGTHEN NATO’S EASTERN FLANK.

THE LITHUANIAN AND GERMAN DEFENSE MINISTERS REVEALED THEIR  “ROADMAP TO ACTION PLAN.” THIS WEEK.

TROOP MOVEMENTS WILL START IN 2024, AND MOST OF THE 4,800 SOLDIERS WILL BE LIVING IN LITHUANIA BY 2026. GERMANY EXPECTS TO HAVE FULL-OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY IN 20-27.

THE LITHUANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER PRAISED THE DEAL TO BRING GERMANY TROOPS TO HIS COUNTRY… SAYING:

[Arvydas Anusauskas | LITHUANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER]

“THE GERMAN BRIGADE WILL SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE OUR DEFENSE POTENTIAL AND ENHANCE NATO DETERRENCE AND COLLECTIVE DEFENSE.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE LITHUANIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY TOLD NEWSWEEK NEGOTIATIONS WITH GERMANY PICKED UP IN JUNE LAST YEAR, THREE MONTHS AFTER RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE–A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE MINISTRY SAID:

[Martynas Bendikas]

“THE WAR IN UKRAINE HAS INDEED EXERTED A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE REGIONAL SECURITY LANDSCAPE… IN LIGHT OF THIS, WE ARE INDEED INTENSIFYING ALL OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE SECURITY IN THE REGION, COLLABORATING CLOSELY WITH OUR ALLIES.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE GERMAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE WILL DEPLOY THREE “MANEUVER BATTALIONS TO FORM THE NEW COMBAT BRIGADE. A COMBAT SUPPORT UNIT AND SUPPLY UNITS WILL ALSO BE STATIONED IN LITHUANIA. THE HOST COUNTRY IS COMMITTING POINT-THREE PERCENT OF ITS GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT–TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT…BUT THE GOVERNMENT ADMITS TAXES MAY NEED TO BE RAISED AS WELL. 

THE MONEY WILL BE USED ON HOUSING THE GERMAN TROOPS AND PROVIDING TRAINING GROUNDS. PART OF THE MONEY WILL ALSO BE USED TO PROVIDE SCHOOLS FOR THE SOLDIERS FAMILIES THAT TEACH LESSONS IN THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE. 

THE LITHUANIAN DEFENSE MINISTER UNDERSCORED THE URGENCY FELT IN THE FORMER SOVIET REPUBLIC,  SAYING– “THE SPEED OF THE PROJECT CLEARLY SHOWS THAT GERMANY UNDERSTOOD THE NEW SECURITY REALITY… WE SHOULD EXPECT NOT ONLY GOOD SCENARIOS BUT ALSO THE VERY WORST SCENARIOS. SO WE MUST BE READY… RUSSIA REMAINS THE MAIN THREAT TO US AND NATO.”

[RYAN ROBERTSON]

THE DEAL TO SEND GERMAN TROOPS TO LITHUANIA CAME TOGETHER AFTER A PUSH FROM WESTERN ALLIES FOR GERMANY TO PROVIDE MORE HELP FOR UKRAINE’S FIGHT AGAINST RUSSIA.

AND AGAIN, THE FACT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 80 YEARS THAT GERMAN TROOPS WILL BE PERMANENTLY DEPLOYED IN A FOREIGN LAND REALLY MARKS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE MOMENT.