The deployment of a German Brigade in Lithuania will help strengthen NATO's eastern border, Prime Minister Friedrich Merz shared at a joint press conference with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda in the capital Vilnius on May 22.
The security of our Baltic allies is also our security. We are determined to stand side by side with our partners in the Baltic region. Dear Lithuanians, you can trust us, you can trust Germany. Our soldiers are playing a key role in this mission," said the German Chancellor.
The head of the German government said that the conflict in Ukraine is a warning for all of Europe and this is the reason why Germany and its allies decided to increase defense capabilities on the eastern flank of NATO. "The deployment of the entire Brigade in Lithuania is a concrete step in this strategy," Mr. Merz emphasized.
Germany has begun deploying a permanent brigade in Lithuania in an effort to expand its role in NATO as well as shoulder greater responsibility for defense in Europe. The Brigade is expected to consist of up to 5,000 soldiers, will be gradually deployed in the coming years and is expected to reach full operational capacity by the end of 2027.
According to NATO's current target, member states need to spend at least 2% of their annual GDP on defense. Germany has recently reached this spending threshold when it sharply increased its defense budget in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
With the proposal to increase defense spending to 5%, Germany will have to allocate about 225 billion euros (equivalent to 254 billion USD) for military procurement, defense-related fields and infrastructure investment.
