Lithuania seeks clarity on long-term US military presence in Europe

Lithuania would like to see clear long-term plans from the United States regarding its military presence in Europe, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said Saturday, following US threats to withdraw troops from Germany, LRT reports.

Speaking to journalists in Vilnius, Kubilius acknowledged the US intention to pull around 5,000 soldiers from Germany over the next 6–12 months—a move announced after a diplomatic dispute between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over Iran policy. Trump has also threatened troop reductions in Italy and Spain, citing their refusal to join military operations and questioning US NATO commitments.

“It would be good to have a clear understanding of how the Americans plan, in the long term, to maintain their defence capabilities in Europe,” Kubilius said. “We want them to stay as long as possible, but we must also develop our own capabilities.”

He noted that while Trump’s unpredictability has become familiar, Washington expects Europe to take a leading role in conventional defence. “We must understand the rational American arguments and build our capabilities,” he said, urging preparations to replace US-provided strategic enablers and rapid-reaction forces.

As of December, around 68,000 US troops were stationed across Europe.