New Bundeswehr brigade on duty to protect NATO's eastern flank: Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) has reaffirmed Germany's commitment to the security of the Baltic states during his visit to Lithuania. “Together with our partners, we are determined to defend the Alliance's territory against any aggression,” said Merz on Thursday in the capital Vilnius. There he took part in the formal roll call of the new brigade. With regard to the efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, Merz announced that he would continue to exert pressure on Russia.
“The security of our Baltic allies is also our security,” said Merz after a meeting with Lithuanian head of state Gitanas Nauseda at a joint press conference. “The security situation in the Baltic States here on the so-called eastern flank of NATO remains very tense,” said the Chancellor. "Russia's aggressive revisionism not only threatens the security and territorial integrity of Ukraine. This revisionism threatens our common security in Europe and in the entire Euro-Atlantic area."
Germany is therefore now participating in the protection of NATO's eastern flank with the new brigade. This is not only a signal to the Lithuanians, but to the entire NATO alliance. “We stand firmly by the side of our partners in the Baltic states,” emphasized Merz. Addressing the people of Lithuania, he added: “You can rely on us, you can rely on Germany.”
With regard to the Ukraine negotiations, Merz reiterated that Germany, together with its allies, would “continue to exert pressure on Moscow”. The EU had just adopted the first new sanctions to bring Russia to the table. “We are prepared to do even more if necessary: more pressure on Russia and more help for Ukraine.” However, despite the recent intensification of efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine, quick success is not to be expected. "We have no illusions. There is no quick solution," said the Chancellor. It is a process “that will perhaps take many more weeks or months”. He continued to rely on cooperation with the USA. “We will not allow Russia to drive a wedge between us,” said Merz. Europe stands together and plays “whenever possible, as a team with the USA”.
Hundreds of Bundeswehr soldiers gathered on the central Cathedral Square in Vilnius for the roll call of the new brigade. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart for choosing to serve in Lithuania,” said Nauseda, addressing the soldiers in German. "With your presence, you are not only strengthening Lithuania. Thanks to your commitment, the whole of Europe is becoming safer and stronger." “You are doing pioneering work here in Lithuania,” said Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius (SPD), who accompanied Merz on his trip, to the soldiers.
Around 4,800 Bundeswehr soldiers and 200 civilian personnel are to be stationed in the Baltic state in the new Lithuania brigade by 2027. The aim is to deter Russia. The Bundeswehr is breaking new ground with this deployment. It is deploying a combat brigade of this size abroad permanently for the first time. Germany has already been leading a multinational NATO combat unit in Lithuania since 2017, for which Bundeswehr soldiers are deployed on a rotating basis. These units will now also be assigned to the new brigade.
Germany and Lithuania agreed the timetable for the deployment of the new brigade at the end of 2023. In April 2024, a preliminary command initially set off for Lithuania to prepare for the establishment of the brigade. Around 400 members of the Bundeswehr are now stationed there. Over the course of the coming year, the number of personnel is expected to grow to around 2,000. The military and civilian infrastructure for the brigade and its soldiers still needs to be established before the brigade is ready for deployment in 2027.
The EU and NATO member state Lithuania, like the other Baltic countries Latvia and Estonia, sees itself directly threatened by Russia. Lithuania borders the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad and Russia's ally Belarus. According to the Federal Ministry of Defense, this makes Lithuania “the most endangered state on the eastern flank of NATO”. Due to the threat posed by Russia, the country wants to significantly increase its military spending. President Nauseda emphasized that Lithuania will achieve its goal of spending five percent of its gross domestic product on defense as early as next year.
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