German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned the Lithuanian parliament today about the dangers of Russia's rearmament, DPA reported.
"We are watching Russia rapidly increase its weapons production and dramatically develop its armed forces. All this leaves us in no doubt: For Russia, for Putin's Russia, Ukraine is only the beginning," Pistorius said in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius.
The German Minister of Defense also stated that "the German armed forces are ready to become the backbone of conventional deterrence and defense in Europe". He also emphasized the country's role as a hub for the rapid movement of troops from the Atlantic to NATO's eastern flank.
The German government has also committed to permanently deploy an autonomous combat brigade of up to 5,000 troops to Rudninkai and Rukla in Lithuania, which is also a member of the alliance, by the end of 2027. This decision was made in response to the changed security situation in Europe following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Lithuanian barracks near the capital Vilnius will serve as a temporary solution until the construction of the German base, but doubts have appeared more than once that Lithuania is not moving in terms of implementation of the preparations on its part, notes DPA.