Germany and Lithuania have finalized their agreement to deploy a brigade on Lithuanian territory, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his Lithuanian counterpart Laurinas Kaschunas said today , quoted by DPA.
The agreement fulfills Germany's promise to permanently deploy an independent operational unit on combat readiness in the NATO member state in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has affected security in Europe.
The German brigade is expected to be operational in Lithuania by 2027 and have a permanent presence of 5,000 troops. They will be located in Rudninkai and Rukla.
According to the German army, a detachment of about 20 soldiers arrived in Lithuania in April, and about 120 more are expected to arrive in early October.
The move to permanent deployment of troops abroad is new territory for the Bundeswehr.
The two ministers signed the agreement, which expands the scope of a previous NATO agreement and specifies the legal status of German soldiers and civilian employees in Lithuania. It covers residency status and issues related to taxes, schooling, health care and more.